Chapter 15 - THE EVIDENCE THAT SET THEM FREE|
For three days, Rowan did not see Callum.
They spoke through brief messages, mostly about the investigation and the documents being reviewed. He never demanded that she visit him. He never asked whether she still loved him.
That restraint made the distance harder, not easier.
Rowan had grown accustomed to Callum's quiet presence in her kitchen, his dry humor, and the way he listened when she complained about suppliers who delivered the wrong ingredients.
She missed him.
But she refused to let missing him become a reason to ignore the truth.
On Thursday morning, the investigators contacted her attorney.
Elise Cole had provided a sworn statement through the appropriate legal process and submitted records supporting several allegations about Victor's handling of the old freight dispute.
Her testimony established that she had discovered discrepancies in the invoices and attempted to raise concerns with the companies involved. She had also documented a meeting in which Victor proposed settling the dispute without a full accounting.
Callum's role was more complicated.
The evidence showed that he had signed the settlement agreement and failed to follow up when the promised accounting was not completed. However, the records did not establish that he had directed Victor to divert the disputed funds or that he had authorized the threatening messages.
His failure to investigate the incomplete settlement had allowed the problem to remain unresolved.
That was serious.
It was not the same as every accusation made at the gala.
Rowan read the investigator's summary twice.
She was relieved that the facts were becoming clearer, but she knew the review was not finished.
The next discovery concerned Grant.
An email recovered from his business archive showed that he had received a warning about Meridian's ownership structure months before the attempted transfer of Pierce Catering.
The message stated that the company's beneficial ownership could not be independently verified.
Grant had replied:
Proceed with the preliminary arrangement. We can resolve the documentation after the contracts are secured.
That message did not prove he knew the ownership filing would be falsified, but it contradicted his claim that he had never knowingly participated in the proposed transaction.
When Rowan learned about the email, she felt a familiar ache.
She had wanted Grant to become a better man.
Instead, he had become more skilled at making decisions that benefited him while leaving others to deal with the consequences.
Later that afternoon, Grant contacted her through his attorney.
He wanted to provide additional information about Victor.
Rowan agreed to let her attorney arrange the meeting.
They met in a conference room, with counsel present on both sides.
Grant looked exhausted.
"I should have told you everything at the beginning," he said.
"Yes."
"I was afraid of losing my company."
"You were afraid of losing your company eight years ago. Then you were afraid of losing your marriage. Then you were afraid of losing your reputation. Every time you became afraid, you made someone else pay."
He looked down.
"I know."
"Do you?"
He took a long breath.
"I thought success would make me safe. I thought if I became wealthy enough, powerful enough, nobody could threaten me again."
"And what did that make you?"
He had no answer.
Grant provided records showing that Victor had approached him about acquiring Pierce Catering through Meridian. The proposal had been presented as a legitimate investment opportunity, but the supporting ownership documents were incomplete.
Grant admitted that he had allowed the transaction to proceed without verifying the authority claimed in the filing.
He denied forging Rowan's signature.
The evidence would have to determine who had created the disputed document and who had submitted it.
But he could no longer claim that he had been unaware of the risks.
"I wanted the acquisition to happen," he admitted. "I believed it would give me leverage in the shipping negotiations."
"At my expense."
"Yes."
Rowan felt the last thread of her old attachment loosen.
She had once believed that Grant's ambition was something they could manage together. Now she understood that he had always been willing to place his ambitions above the people who trusted him.
The meeting ended without reconciliation.
Grant cooperated further with the investigation, and his attorney arranged for the relevant records to be preserved.
As Rowan left the building, she received a message from Callum.
The investigators have the records. I won't ask you to decide anything until you're ready.
She read it twice.
Then she replied.
I'd like to see you. Somewhere quiet. No business, no lawyers, just us.
His response arrived almost immediately.
Name the place.
Rowan smiled faintly.
She chose the little Italian restaurant where they had shared their first dinner.
That evening, Callum was waiting when she arrived.
He stood as she approached, but he did not touch her until she reached for his hand.
"I'm still angry," she said.
"I know."
"I'm still frightened about what I might discover."
"I understand."
"And I don't want you to promise me that you'll never make a mistake."
He looked surprised.
"I want you to promise that when you make one, you won't hide it from me."
Callum held her gaze.
"I can promise that."
She squeezed his hand.
"Then let's see whether we can start again."
For the first time in days, he smiled.
But before they could order dinner, Dominic called.
Callum listened, and his expression changed.
"What happened?" Rowan asked.
He ended the call.
"Victor has been located."
"Where?"
May you like
Callum looked at her.
"He's in Boston. And he has requested a meeting with me."
