Chapter 12 - THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT|
Daniel arranged a meeting with the company's former project solicitor, Martin Wells.
Martin had retired six months earlier, shortly after the Harbor Point acquisition entered its final stage. He had been involved in the original negotiations and knew the history of the contract better than anyone.
We met him in a quiet conference room at his law firm.
He arrived carrying a slim briefcase.
“Claire,” he said, shaking my hand. “I wish we were meeting under different circumstances.”
“So do I.”
Daniel explained the suspicious payments and the missing contract.
Martin listened without interrupting.
When he finished, he opened his briefcase.
“I kept a copy of the original agreement.”
He placed a document on the table.
I read the first page.
Then the second.
By the third, my stomach had tightened.
The original contract included a condition requiring the seller to disclose every intermediary receiving money connected to the acquisition. It also prohibited undisclosed commissions.
The amended version removed that condition.
I looked at Martin.
“Who authorized the amendment?”
“Grant requested it.”
“Did I approve it?”
“No.”
“Then why was my name included?”
Martin hesitated.
“Because the acquisition required approval from the majority shareholder.”
“Which was me.”
“Yes.”
Daniel turned another page.
There was a handwritten note in the margin.
Do not circulate until Claire's authorization is secured.
I stared at the words.
“Who wrote this?”
Martin looked uncomfortable.
“I believe it was Grant's assistant.”
“Why did you let the amendment proceed?”
“I didn't.”
He opened another folder.
“I refused to certify the revised version without a proper shareholder resolution. Two days later, I was told the transaction had been postponed. Then I was removed from the project.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“Who replaced you?”
“An attorney named Peter Lang. He was introduced by Grant.”
I knew the name.
Peter Lang had attended several company dinners. He had once praised Grant's leadership in front of the board.
“Did he approve the revised contract?”
“I don't know. But I have a copy of an email in which he asked for the original approval condition to be removed.”
Daniel took the email.
“That's important.”
Martin nodded.
“I should have reported this sooner.”
I looked at him.
“Why didn't you?”
He lowered his eyes.
“I believed the company would discover the problem during the closing review. I didn't understand how far the documents had already gone.”
I wasn't satisfied with the answer, but I understood the fear behind it.
After the meeting, Daniel and I walked toward the elevators.
“This gives us a stronger case,” he said.
“But it doesn't tell us where the money went.”
“No.”
“And it doesn't explain who sent that message.”
Daniel checked his phone.
“I'm going to ask our forensic team to trace the original contract's digital history.”
My phone rang.
Savannah.
I answered.
“Claire, please don't hang up.”
“What is it?”
“I found something in Grant's office.”
My grip tightened.
“What?”
“A second set of documents. They're about Harbor Point.”
“Where are they now?”
“In my apartment.”
“Don't touch them. Don't move them. Call your attorney.”
“I think Grant knows I found them.”
There was a pause.
May you like
Then she whispered:
“He's coming here.”
