Chapter 5: The Threat He Made
The call came on a Thursday morning, while I was in my kitchen making coffee.
The number was one I didn't recognize.
I almost let it go to voicemail.
Something made me answer.
"Ms.
Hartley." The voice was smooth, unhurried, the voice of a man who billed by the hour and wanted you to feel every minute of it.
"My name is Clifford Bray.
I represent Marcus Hartley."
"I know who you are," I said.
"Then you know I don't make unnecessary calls." A pause.
"My client would like to resolve this matter privately, before it becomes significantly more complicated for everyone involved."
I poured my coffee.
Set the pot down.
"What does that mean?"
"It means that Mr.
Hartley is prepared to step back from his executive role voluntarily, without contest, in exchange for a full withdrawal of the financial allegations and a sealed settlement agreement.
No audit findings made public.
No legal referral.
Clean separation."
"And if I say no?"
"Then Mr.
Hartley's legal team will be filing a defamation suit against you personally by end of business Friday.
We will also be pursuing claims against Daniel Frost for theft of proprietary company documents, and against Chairman Cole for breach of fiduciary duty in conducting an unauthorized board process." Another pause.
"These claims may or may not succeed.
But litigation is expensive, Ms.
Hartley.
And slow.
And very public."
I looked out the window at the street below.
A woman was walking a dog.
A delivery truck was idling at the corner.
Everything ordinary.
"He wants me to let him walk away clean," I said.
"He wants this resolved quietly.
As do most reasonable people."
"The $2.3 million he redirected — does he want to keep that too?"
Silence.
"I'll take that as a yes," I said.
"Mr.
Bray, I'm going to be honest with you, because I think you deserve to know what you're working with.
The forensic accounting firm that conducted the audit — they submitted their preliminary findings to the SEC's enforcement division on Wednesday morning.
Not at my request.
At the request of the independent board members, acting on their own authority." I picked up my coffee.
"So this is no longer a matter I have the power to resolve privately, even if I wanted to.
Which I don't."
The silence on the other end was different now.
"That's — that's a significant escalation," Bray said.
"It's a consequence," I said.
"There's a difference."
He recovered quickly.
They always did.
"Ms.
Hartley, I strongly advise you to consider what you're inviting.
My client has resources and patience.
He also has information about your professional history that he has, until now, chosen not to share publicly.
Information that could raise questions about your suitability for the role Chairman Cole has offered you."
My hand tightened on the mug.
"What information?"
"That's a conversation for another time.
What I'm asking is whether you're certain you want to proceed down this road."
I set the mug on the counter.
"Tell your client," I said, "that I spent six months being called a woman who lived off her husband's success.
I spent six months saying nothing while he rewrote our entire marriage into a story where I didn't exist.
I am done being quiet because it's more convenient for him." I paused.
"Whatever he thinks he has on me — let him use it.
I'd rather face it in the open than spend another six months wondering when it's coming."
Bray was quiet for a moment.
"I'll relay your position," he said.
"Please do."
I ended the call.
I stood in the kitchen for a long time after that, the coffee going cold in my hand, trying to think of what Marcus could possibly know about my professional history that he believed was damaging enough to use as leverage.
And then, slowly, I thought I understood.
I called Daniel.
"He knows about the Alderman account," I said, when he picked up.
Daniel went very quiet.
"How?" he said.
"I don't know.
But he does.
And if he uses it, it won't matter that I did nothing wrong.
It will look like I did."
"Rebecca—"
"I need you to tell me everything you remember about that audit," I said.
"All of it.
Because if Marcus is going to come at me with this, I need to know exactly what he has before he uses it."
May you like
Daniel exhaled slowly.
"You'd better sit down," he said.
