Chapter 4 - An Empty Chair at the TableMy mother listened to the whole story without interrupting. Ruth Brooks had survived cancer, bankruptcy, and a man who was brilliant at building businesses but slow at coming home. She wasn't easily impressed by a boardroom crisis.

"First," she said, "you eat. Then you decide what to fight."

She put a plate of rice and chicken in front of me and looked at Dad. "You can stay for dinner, Daniel. But don't lie to her."

He looked down. "I wasn't planning to."

"You usually don't plan it."

Dad sat across from us. "The company charter gives Naomi a special voting share because of the original family agreement. I believed it was locked in trust. Marcus claims a filing released it early, then assigned her proxy to an outside holding company."

"Which holding company?" I asked.

"Mercer Strategic Partners."

I set down my fork. "Vivian Mercer."

"Maybe a coincidence," Dad said, though neither of us believed it.

Mom rubbed her wrist, an old habit when she was worried. "You need a lawyer who represents Naomi, not your company."

"Agreed."

Dad made one call. An hour later, attorney Tessa Grant arrived carrying a plain canvas bag and wearing sneakers under her suit. She introduced herself to me first.

"I represent you only if you want me to," she said. "Your father can pay the bill, but he won't direct my work."

For the first time that day I felt my shoulders loosen.

We examined the filing. The signature was close to mine, but the N curved in the wrong direction. The digital notary stamp belonged to an office in Delaware. And the listed witness was my late grandfather, Samuel Brooks.

"Grandpa died five years ago," I said.

Tessa's expression hardened. "Then whoever filed this wasn't merely careless."

The doorbell rang. A courier handed Mom a white envelope with no return address. Inside was a Polaroid of Grandpa standing next to Marcus Vale and a woman whose face had been torn away. Written beneath it in black ink were seven words:

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ASK DANIEL WHAT HAPPENED AT THE WAREHOUSE.

Dad took one look and went pale.