Chapter 6 - THE MAN OUTSIDE THE DOOR
Ryan’s first instinct was to hit something.
Progress arrived as the realization that hitting a steel door would not open it.
Rachel called facility security.
The lock released three minutes later.
A man was walking away down the corridor.
Ryan recognized him from company photographs.
Grant Heller.
Malcolm Voss’s former executive assistant.
Ryan started after him.
Rachel grabbed his sleeve.
“Do not.”
“He locked us in.”
“And the camera saw him.”
Ryan stopped.
That decision may have saved the case.
Security footage showed Grant entering the corridor after Ryan.
Police interviewed him.
He claimed he thought the unit belonged to Carter Freight and was securing company records.
Weak.
But not enough for arrest.
Then Malcolm’s attorney demanded the records back.
Rachel answered that Jonathan had deposited them under preservation instructions.
The company board finally agreed to hear Ryan.
Patricia attended.
So did Malcolm.
Ryan entered wearing a suit borrowed from a reentry nonprofit.
Malcolm looked at him.
His jaw still carried a faint scar.
Malcolm spoke first.
“Ryan.”
Ryan answered:
“Malcolm.”
Nothing else.
The board chair asked Patricia to explain North Bridge.
She did.
The company had been weeks from covenant default.
Banks refused emergency expansion.
North Bridge moved faster.
She invested her own capital beside outsiders.
The yard options compensated rescue lenders for risk.
Every sentence had business logic.
Rachel asked:
“Why thirty percent below later appraised value?”
Patricia answered:
“Because the options were priced before recovery.”
Fair point.
Then:
“Why did Jonathan instruct you not to expand them?”
Patricia’s face changed.
Malcolm looked at her.
She had never told him about that letter.
Patricia answered:
“Jonathan had disappeared. He was not carrying payroll responsibility.”
Another fair point.
Then Ryan asked:
“Why did you tell me he was dead?”
The room went silent.
Patricia looked directly at him.
“Because your father asked me to keep you away from the investigation.”
Ryan held up the later letter.
“He asked you not to tell me where he was. Not to bury him.”
Patricia said:
“You were in prison for attacking the exact man federal investigators were watching.”
Ryan had no answer.
Because that was true.
Then Malcolm leaned back.
“Jonathan was right about one thing.”
Ryan looked at him.
“You were dangerous to the case.”
Ryan felt his fists tighten under the table.
He opened them slowly.
May you like
Malcolm noticed.
And for the first time, Ryan saw disappointment in his face.
