Chapter 5: The Deal Behind the Family’s Back
Daniel blocked the doorway before Richard could leave.
“Why is my employer buying our warehouse?”
Richard slipped his keys into his pocket.
“Ask Reid Mercer.”
“I’m asking you.”
“The company needed cash.
Reid made a fair offer.”
Mom pushed the contract toward Harriet.
“My approval is required for property sales.”
Richard tapped the final page.
“There’s your signature.”
Harriet studied it.
“This one is notarized too.”
“I never signed it,” Mom said.
Richard looked at Daniel.
“Your mother has been forgetful lately.”
Daniel’s chair scraped across the floor.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Make her sound confused because you got caught.”
Harriet closed the laptop.
“We need an emergency order stopping the sale.
Until then, nobody contacts Mercer Holdings except through me.”
Richard smiled.
“By the time a judge reads your papers, the transfer will be complete.”
Mom stood.
“Then we go to the warehouse now.”
An hour later, we found the locks changed.
Employees watched through the glass while Richard entered using a new electronic code.
Mom knocked until the office manager, Sandra, opened the door.
“I’m sorry, Patricia,” Sandra said.
“Richard told us you’d resigned.”
“I did not resign.”
Sandra glanced behind her.
“He showed us a letter.”
Richard appeared in the hallway.
“Everyone back to work.”
Mom stepped inside.
“Show me the letter.”
“You no longer have authority here.”
“I own half this company.”
“And I’m the managing director.”
Harriet held up her phone.
“An application has been filed to stop the warehouse sale.”
“Filed isn’t granted.”
A black car pulled into the lot.
Reid Mercer climbed out, followed by two men carrying folders.
Daniel went pale.
“He’s closing today.”
Reid entered and shook Richard’s hand.
“Everything ready?”
“No,” Mom said.
“My signature on that contract is false.”
Reid looked from Mom to Richard.
“You told me your wife approved.”
“She did.
Now she wants more money.”
Mom took one step toward him.
“Look at me, Mr.
Mercer.
Did you ever speak to me about selling this building?”
“No.”
“Did you see me sign?”
“No, but the documents were notarized.”
Harriet opened her briefcase.
“The notary is Leonard Price.
Do you know him?”
Reid frowned.
“He handles Richard’s golf club.”
Richard’s confidence flickered.
Daniel turned to his employer.
“Reid, if you close this sale after being warned, I want my name removed from every part of it.”
“You introduced us,” Reid said.
“I introduced you to my father.
I did not approve a false contract.”
Richard caught Daniel by the arm.
“Think carefully.
Reid gave you your career.”
Daniel pulled free.
“And you used me to reach him.”
Reid shut his folder.
“I’m postponing the closing for forty-eight hours.”
“You can’t,” Richard said.
“We have an agreement.”
“We have a disputed signature and an attorney standing in the lobby.”
Richard drew Reid aside.
Their whispers sharpened until Reid stepped back.
“No,” Reid said.
“I will not transfer the deposit directly to you.”
Mom heard him.
“What deposit?”
Reid looked at Richard.
“He requested that $300,000 be wired to a personal account after closing.”
Sandra appeared beside us holding a cardboard archive box.
“Patricia, I think you should see this.”
Richard moved toward her.
“Put that back.”
Sandra held it tighter.
“You told me to destroy the old payroll files.”
“I told you to clear storage.”
“You specifically named the years Patricia invested her inheritance.”
She placed the box at Mom’s feet.
Inside were bank records, incorporation documents, and handwritten ledgers bearing Mom’s initials.
Harriet lifted the oldest agreement.
“Patricia, these shares are not divided equally.”
Richard stopped moving.
Mom read the faded page.
“Fifty-one percent to me.
Forty-nine to Richard.”
“You transferred one percent later,” Richard said quickly.
“Where is the transfer document?” Harriet asked.
“At home.”
“I’ve reviewed every corporate filing.
It doesn’t exist.”
Richard looked toward the loading bay, then toward the office containing the company computers.
Harriet followed his eyes.
“Sandra, secure the server room.”
Richard ran for it.
Daniel reached the door first and stood against it.
“Move, son.”
“No.”
“If this company falls, your mother loses everything.”
Mom picked up the original share agreement.
“The company isn’t falling, Richard.
You are.”
A security guard approached, and Richard slowly backed away.
His phone rang before anyone could speak.
He answered, listened, and smiled.
“You’re all celebrating too soon,” he said.
“The court refused Patricia’s emergency request.”
Harriet’s face tightened.
Richard pointed to the warehouse doors.
“The sale goes ahead tomorrow morning—and Patricia is no longer welcome in my building.”
