Chapter 8 - MARGARET'S NAME
The folder marked MARGARET contained no evidence she received Briarstone money.
Instead it contained internal emails showing Margaret repeatedly questioned vendor spending.
MARGARET:
Why are procurement consulting costs up 300%?
DANIEL:
Expansion analysis.
MARGARET:
Then show me deliverables.
DANIEL:
Michael has the packet.
MICHAEL:
I’ll send.
He never did.
Claire stared.
She had assumed Daniel was protecting Margaret.
Wrong.
He had been protecting the scheme from her.
Then another email.
MARGARET TO DANIEL:
I do not care if Evan is family. If his company cannot justify the invoices, terminate him.
Daniel replied:
Under review.
He did not terminate Briarstone.
Claire called Margaret.
She came to the house furious.
Not defensive.
Furious.
“You think I knew?”
“I did yesterday.”
“And now?”
“Now I think Daniel and Michael lied to you too.”
Margaret sat down.
Her face changed.
“My sons.”
Claire said nothing.
Margaret looked toward Daniel’s photograph.
“I spent five years defending them at board meetings.”
Claire asked:
“Why?”
“Because I thought the company was under pressure and they were making difficult decisions.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Apparently they were.”
Then Margaret gave Claire something new.
A sealed envelope Daniel had left with her two months earlier.
She had never opened it because Daniel instructed:
“Only if Claire asks after I’m gone.”
May you like
On the front:
CLAIRE.
