Chapter 2 - THE SIGNATURE MY SON HID FROM ME
“Gideon, unlock that door.”
My son’s voice was quiet, but I recognized the warning beneath it.
Gideon Shaw slipped the brass key into his jacket pocket.
“Not until everyone understands what's at stake.”
Blair stood beside Daniel, one perfectly manicured hand resting on his arm.
“Your mother came here pretending to be a servant,” she said. “She secretly recorded private conversations. Daniel, doesn't that concern you?”
Daniel looked at me.
For the first time that evening, I saw something worse than confusion in his eyes.
Embarrassment.
“Mom, why would you do this?”
I looked down at the broken teacup handle in my palm.
“Because I wanted to know how your future wife treats people when she thinks they don't matter.”
Blair's expression tightened.
“I never mistreated anyone.”
“You shoved a young dishwasher against a kitchen sink. Your mother twisted my arm while a guard searched me.”
Daniel turned toward Blair.
“Is that true?”
“She was stealing!”
“What did she steal?”
Blair opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Celia stepped forward.
“This ridiculous accusation is ruining my daughter's engagement celebration.”
I faced her.
“Then perhaps you should explain why your daughter was discussing my son's voting authority with our family attorney.”
Gideon moved between us.
“Catherine, you're confusing an ordinary financing arrangement with something improper.”
“Three hotel properties belong to the employee retirement trust. They cannot be pledged to rescue somebody else's finances.”
Daniel's head turned sharply.
“What retirement trust?”
A terrible silence followed.
Gideon recovered first.
“Daniel, your mother is referring to an old ownership arrangement. The hotels are managed by Vale Hospitality.”
“Managed,” I repeated. “Not owned.”
Blair squeezed Daniel's arm.
“Don't let her intimidate you.”
I stared at my son.
“Daniel, what exactly are you signing?”
He looked at the papers.
“A restructuring agreement.”
“For what?”
He hesitated.
“Harbor House.”
My stomach tightened.
Harbor House was our oldest Charleston hotel.
My husband, Henry, had bought it thirty-six years earlier.
It was where Daniel had learned to swim in the employee pool.
Where our housekeepers brought him birthday cupcakes.
Where Henry had promised that every worker who helped build the company would have security in retirement.
“What happened to Harbor House?” I asked.
Daniel looked toward Gideon.
“Tell her.”
Gideon straightened his tie.
“The property needs significant repairs. There are deferred maintenance expenses, declining occupancy, and a serious liquidity problem.”
“How serious?”
“Several million dollars.”
I felt the room tilt.
I had reviewed the previous quarter's reports myself.
They showed no such emergency.
“Where are those losses recorded?”
Gideon didn't answer.
Instead, he picked up the pen from the desk.
“We have a financing commitment that expires tonight. Daniel's authorization will protect the business.”
I took one step toward him.
“Put that pen down.”
Mercer appeared near the connecting service door.
He had entered through a second entrance I hadn't noticed.
Behind him stood Olivia.
Her apron was torn near the shoulder.
She held her injured elbow against her stomach.
Daniel stared at her.
“What happened?”
Blair answered immediately.
“She was involved in the theft investigation.”
Olivia raised her head.
“There wasn't any theft, sir.”
Mercer shifted uncomfortably.
Celia snapped, “You were told to wait downstairs.”
Olivia looked directly at Daniel.
“Your fiancée told me I'd never work in Charleston again if I talked.”
The color drained from his face.
“Blair?”
She turned away.
Gideon slammed the folder shut.
“Enough. We have fifteen minutes.”
I reached for my phone.
“An independent attorney already has the recording. You cannot make this disappear.”
Gideon's confident expression faltered.
Only slightly.
Then he looked at Daniel.
“Tell your mother what you requested last Tuesday.”
My son went pale.
“Gideon—”
“Tell her.”
I watched Daniel's face.
I had seen him frightened as a little boy.
I had seen him heartbroken at his father's funeral.
But I had never seen him look at me this way.
Like a man standing at the edge of something he had helped create.
“Mom,” he whispered, “I knew there was a financial emergency.”
My fingers tightened around the porcelain handle.
“What did you do?”
Daniel swallowed.
“I asked Gideon to prepare a plan.”
“Daniel?”
May you like
His eyes filled.
“I was the one who asked him to use the hotels.”
