Chapter 11 - THE EIGHTY-FOUR MILLION DOLLAR HOLE
Peter Lang returned to Whitaker Development as a special adviser to the audit committee.
He did not enjoy it.
But he enjoyed the alternative less.
In six days, the forensic accountants found what Mason had been hiding.
The Asheville resort was over budget by twenty-three million.
The Nashville tower had lost a major tenant.
Two private club acquisitions were financed with floating-rate debt Mason had personally championed.
Then came the worst transaction.
A speculative development outside Savannah.
Eighty-four million dollars in exposure.
The land was worth less than half the acquisition price.
The seller was connected to a fund in which Mason held an undisclosed economic interest.
Natalie read the report twice.
“He sold land to his own company?”
Peter nodded.
“Through intermediaries.”
“At an inflated price?”
“Apparently.”
“How much did he personally benefit?”
“We’re still tracing it.”
Caroline Reed spoke.
“Potentially millions.”
Natalie closed the folder.
“That explains the divorce deadline.”
Peter nodded.
“The annual lender certification was due in three weeks.”
“If he got control of my trust shares?”
“He could refinance.”
“And bury the loss?”
“For a while.”
Natalie understood the shape of it.
Mason had not suddenly decided he loved Vivian enough to leave his wife.
He needed Natalie legally weakened before the company’s financial structure came under scrutiny.
Vivian had been romance.
The divorce had been strategy.
The kick had been panic.
That night Natalie sat alone in the Hale apartment.
Her daughter moved beneath her ribs.
Natalie rested both hands over her stomach.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Not for the marriage.
For how long she had tolerated being made small inside it.
The intercom buzzed.
Security.
“Mrs. Whitaker, Vivian Cross is downstairs.”
Natalie’s body stiffened.
“She says she has something you need to hear.”
Natalie thought about refusing.
Then she remembered the second phone.
“Send her to the conference room.”
Vivian entered ten minutes later without the red coat.
No diamonds.
No dramatic makeup.
She looked smaller.
More ordinary.
Natalie preferred her that way.
Vivian sat opposite her.
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
Vivian swallowed.
“I was jealous of you.”
Natalie said nothing.
“I thought you had everything.”
Still nothing.
Vivian looked ashamed.
“Mason told me you were cold.”
Natalie almost smiled.
“Mason tells women whatever makes them compete for him.”
Vivian’s eyes dropped.
“He lied about the company.”
“Yes.”
“He lied about the house.”
“Yes.”
“He lied about leaving you for love.”
Natalie finally leaned forward.
“Why are you here?”
Vivian placed a recorder on the table.
“Because he lied about one more thing.”
She pressed play.
Mason’s voice filled the room.
If the Hale trust wakes up, I lose the vote.
Vivian’s recorded voice answered:
Then why doesn’t Natalie know?
Mason laughed.
Because she trusts me.
Natalie’s face became still.
Then Mason said:
And people who trust you are the easiest people to rob.
Vivian stopped the recording.
Natalie did not move for several seconds.
Then she looked directly at the woman who had kicked her.
“What do you want?”
May you like
Vivian’s voice broke.
“To make sure he doesn’t get to say I did all of this alone.”
