Chapter 8 - THE DEAL THAT NEVER EXISTED
Wexler Technologies had approached Vale Global fourteen months earlier.
Its founder, Nathan Wexler, claimed to possess breakthrough satellite-encryption technology.
Adrian had spent nearly a year negotiating the acquisition.
His executives called it the most important deal of his career.
Now Maya claimed Wexler had secretly met Simon and Julian months before negotiations ended.
Rebecca began pulling everything apart.
The results were ugly.
Wexler's projected revenues depended heavily on contracts that had not yet been finalized.
Several patents overlapped technology already owned by Vale Defense Analytics.
Two shell vendors inflated the company's sales.
Adrian had been preparing to pay four billion dollars for a business worth perhaps half that.
“Why didn't our due diligence catch this?”
Rebecca answered carefully.
“Simon supervised the financial review.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Of course.
Simon wanted Vale Global to overpay.
Then carve out Vale Defense Analytics to Julian's shell company.
The combination could destroy shareholder value by billions.
And Adrian would be blamed.
Unless he disappeared first.
Rebecca continued.
“There is one more thing.”
“What?”
“Wexler personally invested in Redhaven.”
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“So I'm paying him billions, and he's using part of my own money to purchase one of my divisions at a discount.”
“Essentially.”
“Beautiful.”
Celeste stood across the room.
She hadn't slept.
Neither had Adrian.
Maya and Thomas were under federal protection.
Daniel was recovering.
Victor Raines had disappeared after being released pending further investigation.
Simon still controlled Vale Global.
And financial news now questioned Adrian's sanity.
Celeste said, “We can expose Simon.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because we don't have enough.”
“We have the transactions.”
“We have suspicious transactions.”
“We have Pike.”
“Pike says Victor hired him.”
“Victor connects to Simon.”
“Not yet.”
Celeste looked frustrated.
“What do you want?”
“Simon confessing.”
“He never will.”
Adrian looked toward Maya's blue notebook.
Federal agents had recovered it from Thomas's apartment after Maya described where she hid it.
The drawings were extraordinary.
Not artistically.
Observationally.
Maya had sketched a marina café six months earlier while waiting for her father, who had been doing landscaping work nearby.
Three men sat at an outdoor table.
Simon Hart.
Julian Vale.
Nathan Wexler.
Maya had drawn them because Simon's bright orange tie amused her.
She had also written portions of things she heard.
Not because she understood them.
Because she liked collecting phrases.
REDHAVEN BEFORE CLOSE.
ADRIAN TAKES THE FALL.
CELESTE GETS CONTROL ON PAPER.
And one final phrase.
E.M. FILE CANNOT SURFACE.
E.M.
Evan Marlow.
Adrian stared at the initials.
Simon had not merely built a new conspiracy.
He was still burying the old one.
Celeste sat beside him.
“He kept evidence.”
“Maybe.”
“Of Evan.”
“Maybe.”
“If we find it—”
“You get your brother's name back.”
Celeste looked at Adrian.
“And you?”
“What about me?”
“What do you get?”
Adrian considered the question.
A week earlier, his answer would have been his company.
His reputation.
His deal.
Now he thought about Daniel tied in a closet.
Thomas crying in a parking lot.
Maya being kidnapped because she had protected him.
“I get to know what I allowed to happen.”
Celeste looked away.
There was no forgiveness between them.
Not yet.
Maybe never.
But for the first time they were looking in the same direction.
At 6:30 the next morning, Simon Hart went live on financial television.
He announced that Vale Global's board had launched an independent review into Adrian's conduct.
He described Adrian as a brilliant founder suffering from “possible cognitive decline.”
Then he announced the Wexler acquisition would move forward under his leadership.
Adrian watched from a federal safe location.
Maya sat at the breakfast table eating cereal.
She pointed at the television.
“He scratches his thumb.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What?”
“When he lies.”
Thomas sighed.
“Maya.”
“What?”
Adrian rewound the interview.
Every time Simon discussed Adrian's health, his thumb rubbed the side of his index finger.
When he discussed the Wexler deal, it stopped.
Interesting.
Then the anchor asked whether Simon expected Adrian to return.
Simon scratched his thumb again.
“I certainly hope so.”
Maya stared.
“He knows you're coming back.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“Good.”
He stood.
“Because that's exactly what I'm going to do.”
Rebecca looked alarmed.
“Publicly?”
“Yes.”
“That could trigger the incapacity hearing.”
“That's what Simon expects me to avoid.”
“What are you planning?”
Adrian buttoned his jacket.
“I'm going to walk into my own board meeting.”
Maya looked up.
“And then?”
May you like
Adrian's eyes went cold.
“I'm going to let Simon Hart try to prove I'm crazy in front of everyone.”
