Chapter 6 - The Call That Wasn't a Rescue

"Where is she?" I shouted into the receiver.

Harper laughed once, a dry, exhausted sound. "At the hospital, obviously. Nathan, use your head. Your mother called me. She wants to talk without Arthur breathing down her neck."

I put the call on speaker. Dad stepped close. "Helen's asleep. I spoke to her nurse ten minutes ago."

Harper went silent.

"You tried to scare us," I said.

"I'm trying to fix what your family ruined. The investors are furious."

"What investors?"

"Ask your father what he promised them. Ask him why he begged me to bring money into your precious foundry."

Dad's expression changed. I caught it before he looked away.

"She doesn't know what she's talking about," he muttered.

Harper heard him. "Oh, Arthur. Don't make me send him the emails."

The line went dead.

I turned toward Dad. "What emails?"

He rubbed his forehead. "Six months ago, the company payroll was in trouble. We lost two major contracts. I talked to Alder Ridge about a possible sale. Harper knew their marketing director. She arranged one meeting."

"You told me there wasn't a buyer."

"Because your mother refused. And she was right. They wanted to knock the place down, lay off everyone still on the books, and build luxury apartments."

"So you hid the meeting."

"I hid that I considered it." His voice broke. "I was ashamed."

A truck passed on the highway. Dad had raised me never to make a promise I couldn't keep.

The hospital called my phone. A nurse wanted to confirm who was authorized to visit Mom.

"Has someone tried?" I asked.

"A woman claiming to be your fiancée came to the desk with a document saying she could make decisions for Mrs. Mercer. Your mother asked us not to let her in."

"Was the document signed?"

"It appeared to be. We kept a copy and referred it to administration."

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Dad swore under his breath. Mom had never authorized Harper to make medical decisions.

The nurse lowered her voice. "Mr. Mercer, your mother wants you to know one more thing. She says your fiancée used a different name when they first met."