Chapter 2 - The Man With the Sad EyesDaniel Mercer had vanished.
No credit-card activity.
No airport record.
No phone.
No vehicle GPS.
Nothing.
By noon, Michael’s team had reconstructed the surveillance device.
It had been transmitting for nine days.
Nine.
Adrian knew exactly what happened nine days earlier.
The Northstar negotiation.
Only six people knew the actual acquisition structure.
Adrian.
Daniel.
Michael.
General counsel Rebecca Sloan.
CFO Caroline Hayes.
And board chairman Victor Vale.
Adrian’s uncle.
The device had captured all of them.
Michael placed a map on the conference table.
“The transmission bounced through three relay servers.”
“Destination?”
“We’re working on it.”
Rebecca asked:
“Could Daniel have sold the information?”
Adrian said nothing.
He kept seeing Sophie’s face.
He was crying.
Caroline folded her arms.
“Adrian, friendship cannot become evidence.”
“I know.”
“Then we treat Daniel as compromised.”
“Yes.”
Victor Vale leaned back.
At sixty-four, he still carried himself like the man who should have inherited the company instead of Adrian.
“Daniel always made me uncomfortable.”
Adrian glanced at him.
“You promoted him twice.”
“For your benefit.”
“You recommended him for the strategy committee.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Are we really doing this?”
Rebecca intervened.
“Enough.”
Michael entered.
He carried a sealed envelope.
“This was delivered downstairs ten minutes ago.”
“To whom?”
“You.”
No return address.
Inside was a hotel key card.
Room 814.
And a handwritten message.
DON’T TRUST THE BOARD VOTE.
Adrian recognized the handwriting.
Daniel.
Victor scoffed.
“Convenient.”
Adrian looked at him.
“What?”
“He disappears after planting illegal surveillance, then sends mysterious warnings.”
Victor laughed.
“This is textbook manipulation.”
Maybe.
But Adrian noticed something.
The message did not say:
Trust me.
It said:
Don’t trust the board vote.
Tomorrow morning, Vale Meridian’s board would vote on final authorization for the Northstar acquisition.
If Daniel wanted to sabotage the company—
why warn Adrian about it?
Adrian stood.
“Michael.”
“Yes?”
“We’re going to the hotel.”
Victor slammed his hand down.
“That could be a trap.”
May you like
Adrian looked at him.
“So could tomorrow’s board meeting.”
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