Chapter 8 - THE SON NO ONE TALKED ABOUT
Jonathan Price had once worked at Carter Performance.
Six years earlier.
Vice president of acquisitions.
Brilliant.
Aggressive.
Fired by James Carter after a failed deal cost the company twelve million dollars.
Howard never forgave James.
Not publicly.
But Samantha suddenly remembered the funeral.
Howard standing beside the coffin.
Jonathan absent.
Blackridge’s trust had been created for Jonathan three years ago.
Howard claimed he knew nothing about its current holdings.
Possible.
Jonathan lived in London.
He declined Naomi’s request for interview.
Then Derek’s attorneys produced a Blackridge operating memo.
Jonathan Price — 80%.
Derek Carter — 20%.
Purpose:
Acquire undervalued automotive and real-estate assets during market dislocation.
Carter Performance was named as a target.
Dated:
Ten months earlier.
Before Samantha filed for divorce.
She stared.
Derek had been preparing to buy pieces of her company while still sharing her bed.
Then Naomi found an email between Derek and Jonathan.
Derek:
Sam will never sell voluntarily.
Jonathan:
Then don’t ask her to sell voluntarily.
Derek:
Meaning?
Jonathan:
Create the conditions where the board has no choice.
That was not proof of the brake incident.
But it was strategy.
Then another:
If leadership becomes unstable, Howard can keep the board rational.
Samantha read it twice.
Howard.
There.
Not proof.
But involvement.
She confronted him.
Howard did not deny talking to his son.
“I wanted Jonathan back in the industry.”
“By buying my company out from under me?”
“By rescuing assets you refuse to sell.”
Samantha’s voice shook.
“You helped them.”
“I helped create an alternative.”
“Did you use Dad’s account?”
Howard stared at her.
“No.”
“Did Jonathan?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Derek?”
“I don’t know.”
Then Samantha asked:
“Who cleared the Lamborghini?”
Howard looked away.
Just for a second.
Naomi noticed.
So did Samantha.
“Howard.”
He turned back.
“I did not clear the car.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Silence.
Then:
“I know who did.”
And before he could say the name, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His face went pale.
May you like
Jonathan.
Calling from London.
