Chapter 9 - FIVE O'CLOCK
Miriam didn't waste time asking why Vanessa had waited.
She called Evelyn, then the outside transaction lawyers.
The hold imposed by the board had not reached every party.
Daniel had instructed the deal team to treat it as an internal dispute that would be resolved before closing.
He had no authority to make that promise.
He had made it anyway.
By noon, the buyer's counsel had received notice that my signature was disputed and my shares were not available as collateral.
Miriam sought an emergency order preserving the status quo while the documents were examined.
I went to the manufacturing building with Evelyn.
News of the investigation had reached the floor before we did.
Machines hummed behind yellow safety lines.
People watched us through clear shields.
Nobody waved.
A woman in steel-toed boots stepped forward.
“I'm Teresa Bennett. Nora's mother.”
“Are we losing our jobs?”
“I've stopped the proposed sale while we investigate it.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
She was right.
“I don't know what the final recovery plan will require yet,” I said.
“I won't promise something I haven't checked. But there will be no secret sale behind your backs.”
“Where were you when they stopped replacing broken equipment?”
I could have mentioned grief.
I could have blamed Daniel.
“I wasn't paying enough attention.”
“I am now.”
Teresa studied me, then picked up a clipboard.
“Start with line four.”
For the next hour, she showed me repair requests, delayed orders, and overtime schedules held together by favors.
None of it appeared in the cheerful summaries Daniel sent me.
At four-twelve, Miriam called.
The transaction had been halted pending review.
The buyers would not close over a disputed authorization.
I leaned against a concrete wall and shut my eyes.
Ruth called next.
“The sale isn't the immediate problem anymore.”
“What is?”
“The lender suspended the unused credit facility after discovering the pledge issue. Cash forecasts were overstated.”
“How overstated?”
She gave me the real balance.
Then she gave me the obligations due before the end of the week.
Behind me, the shift bell rang.
May you like
People began walking toward the time clock.
There wasn't enough money to pay them all.
