Part 3

Daniel stared at the PDF displayed on my screen, his sunburn turning an ashen, mottled gray.

"Where... where did you get that document?"

"I built this company's accounting structure, Daniel," I said, taking half a step toward him.

"Did you honestly believe seven years of forensic training evaporated the day I went on maternity leave?"

"Grace, listen to me," Daniel stammered, his eyes darting frantically toward the glass window where two pediatric nurses had paused to watch our confrontation.

"The St. Lucia wire was an earnest money deposit for a prospective boutique hotel parcel.

Celeste was acting as our offshore acquisitions broker."

"Celeste Morgan is a junior marketing coordinator who joined the firm six months ago," I said, keeping my voice low and lethal.

"She isn't licensed to broker a hot dog stand, let alone foreign commercial real estate."

Vivian stepped between us, her voice tightening into a razor-thin edge.

"Lower your voice, Grace.

This is a hospital, not a court of law.

Anything Daniel authorized was done under his broad discretionary authority as president."

"His authority expired the second he used corporate funds to underwrite a personal adulterous holiday while our son choked on his own fluids," I replied, pulling a printed legal folio from my tote bag.

I turned to Patrick Hayes, who had just stepped out of the elevator banks wearing a dark overcoat and carrying a sealed leather legal satchel.

"Patrick?"

Daniel gaped, taking a step backward.

"What are you doing here?

You report to me!"

"I report to the board of directors, Daniel," Patrick said with solemn professionalism.

"And under Section Twenty-two of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, a majority shareholder possessing documented evidence of corporate waste holds the absolute right to freeze treasury accounts pending an independent forensic audit."

Patrick handed Daniel a stamped administrative notification from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development.

"What is this?"

Vivian demanded, snatching the paper from her son's limp fingers.

"That is a formal notice of shareholder dispute," Patrick stated.

"As of midnight, all domestic operating lines of credit, payroll facilities, and commercial escrow accounts tied to Mercer Urban Development are frozen.

No checks clear.

No wires execute.

No funds move without Grace's physical signature."

Daniel’s knees visibly buckled.

He reached for the handrail along the corridor wall to steady himself.

"Grace, you can't freeze payroll.

We have three commercial towers under active construction in Somerville.

If the union drywallers and crane operators don't get paid on Friday, the subcontractors will walk off the job and trigger twenty million in performance liquidated damages."

"Then you had better start selling your Caribbean souvenirs, Daniel," I said, looking him dead in the eye.

"Because not a single cent leaves that bank until every dollar stolen from this company is accounted for."