Chapter 8 - The Man Who EscapedRobert wanted Noah hidden somewhere safe.
Noah refused.
“I've spent three years being told I'm the problem.”
“This isn't about that.”
“You're going to the board meeting.”
“Yes.”
“Then I'm going.”
“No.”
“Those shares are mine.”
“You're fifteen.”
“And apparently people are trying to kill me because of them.”
Robert had no response.
Sheriff Colton solved it.
“Noah doesn't leave police protection.”
Noah smiled.
Robert didn't.
The board meeting was changed to secure video conference after police warned the directors.
Martin had requested the emergency vote before escaping.
That meant his plan was already moving.
Robert joined from the mansion library.
Noah sat outside the camera frame.
Executives appeared one by one.
Then Martin's screen connected.
Everyone froze.
Martin sat somewhere dark.
“Good evening.”
Robert stared.
“You're a fugitive.”
Martin smiled.
“Allegedly.”
Directors began speaking at once.
Martin raised a hand.
“You can hang up.”
His smile widened.
“But if you do, you'll never know where forty-seven million dollars of company money went.”
Silence.
Robert looked toward Sheriff Colton.
Police were tracing the connection.
Martin continued.
“For years, Whitmore Development has hidden liabilities.”
Robert snapped,
“You created them.”
“Can you prove that?”
“Rachel did.”
Martin's smile disappeared for half a second.
He recovered.
“The dead don't testify.”
Noah felt anger rise.
Robert's voice became cold.
“My son does.”
Martin looked toward the screen.
“He's there?”
Robert said nothing.
Martin smiled again.
“Hello, Noah.”
Noah stepped into view.
“Go to hell.”
Several directors looked shocked.
Martin laughed.
“Very Rachel.”
Robert gripped the table.
“What do you want?”
“Approve the merger.”
“Why?”
“Because Halston owns something I need.”
“What?”
“A portfolio.”
“Properties?”
“Records.”
Robert frowned.
Martin had structured the merger to gain access to another company's records?
A director named Alan Pierce spoke.
“What records?”
Martin answered,
“Your father wasn't the only businessman who used offshore accounts.”
Robert looked toward Noah.
This was bigger.
Martin continued.
“Halston holds original documentation connecting Robert Whitmore Sr., Rachel's father, and several investors to tax structures created twenty years ago.”
Noah frowned.
His grandfather?
Robert said,
“You're blackmailing us.”
“I'm offering stability.”
Sheriff Colton whispered,
“Keep him talking.”
Robert continued.
“And if we refuse?”
Martin smiled.
“Then financial records are released tomorrow morning.”
A board member said,
“You'd destroy the company.”
“I'd destroy the Whitmores.”
There it was.
Not money.
Revenge too.
Noah asked,
“Why do you hate us?”
Martin looked directly into the camera.
For the first time his expression changed.
“You really don't know.”
“No.”
Martin leaned forward.
“Ask your father who built Whitmore Development.”
Noah looked at Robert.
“My grandfather.”
Martin laughed.
“No.”
Robert's face became tense.
“Martin.”
“Tell him.”
Robert remained silent.
Martin did it.
“My father.”
Noah stared.
“What?”
Martin smiled without humor.
“Samuel Hale and your grandfather started the company together.”
Robert closed his eyes.
Noah had never heard the name.
Martin continued.
“Samuel owned forty percent.”
“What happened?”
“Your grandfather pushed him out.”
Robert said,
“That isn't true.”
“You were a child.”
“So were you.”
“I watched my father lose everything.”
Martin's voice sharpened.
“Whitmore Development became a billion-dollar company. Samuel Hale died in a rented apartment.”
Noah understood.
Martin had spent decades inside the family business.
Not only as an attorney.
As revenge.
“But you stole from us.”
“I took what belonged to my family.”
“Rachel caught you.”
Martin's expression hardened.
“Yes.”
“And you used Victoria to get close to us.”
“Yes.”
“Then you tried to kill me.”
Martin paused.
“No.”
Noah laughed.
“Seriously?”
“I told Victoria to solve the problem.”
“What did you think that meant?”
Martin stared at him.
Nothing.
The answer was obvious.
Sheriff Colton signaled.
Trace narrowing.
Martin looked off-screen.
Then back.
“You have twenty minutes.”
“Or?”
“Or the records go public.”
Robert said,
“Release them.”
Martin froze.
Noah looked at his father.
Robert continued.
“If my grandfather cheated your father, we'll deal with it.”
“You'll lose investors.”
“Maybe.”
“The company could collapse.”
“Then it collapses.”
Martin stared.
Robert's voice remained calm.
“I am not trading my son's life or his inheritance to protect a company.”
Noah stopped breathing.
Rachel's words came back.
Watch what people protect when everything goes wrong.
That is who they are.
Martin's face twisted.
“You think that makes you noble?”
“No.”
Robert looked at Noah.
“It makes me late.”
Noah's eyes burned.
Martin disconnected.
Police had the trace.
A warehouse in Stamford.
Teams moved.
Then Robert's phone rang.
Victoria's temporary holding room.
He answered.
Her voice was frantic.
“Robert.”
“What?”
“Martin is coming back.”
“He's in Stamford.”
“No.”
Victoria was crying.
“The warehouse is a decoy.”
Robert's stomach dropped.
“How do you know?”
“Because that's where he always routes his calls.”
“Where is he?”
Victoria whispered,
“Inside the mansion.”
The library lights suddenly went out.
Noah heard a door close behind them.
May you like
And Martin Hale's voice came from the darkness.
“She finally told the truth.”
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