Chapter 7: The Call to Ellen
Thomas dialed Ellen Mercer at eleven-forty from the boardroom speakerphone, with the remaining board members seated around the table and Sabrina still in her chair at the far end.
Ellen picked up on the third ring.
"Thomas."
"Ellen.
I have Claire Waverly with me, along with the Waverly Home board.
We wanted to address this morning's communication directly."
"I appreciate that." A pause.
"Claire, are you on the line?"
"I'm here," I said.
"I want to be straightforward with you.
What I saw last night — and what our legal team found in those communications this morning — raised serious concerns about the stability of the partnership we were about to enter.
Northstar does not sign agreements with companies where the leadership picture is unclear."
"I understand that," I said.
"And I want to be equally straightforward.
The leadership picture has never been unclear.
I am the founding partner of Waverly Home.
I hold signing authority under Article Twelve.
The communications your team received from Grant did not reflect my knowledge or consent, and the board is addressing that this morning."
"Is Grant Waverly still with the company?"
Malcolm leaned toward the speaker.
"This is Malcolm Reed, board director.
That question is currently under review.
What I can tell you is that no action affecting the Northstar agreement will be taken without Claire's full involvement and authorization."
A silence on Ellen's end.
"The forty-three million dollar agreement," she said finally.
"Yes," I said.
"Claire." Her voice shifted slightly.
"I've looked at your track record with this company.
The distribution deal in Chicago.
The regional expansion in the Southeast.
The Hartwell account, which I understand you personally salvaged after it nearly fell through."
"That's correct."
"I'll be honest with you.
When we first came to the table, Grant was the one who made the calls.
He was the one in the room.
Our team assumed—"
"I know what your team assumed," I said.
"Grant made sure of it."
Another silence.
"The agreement structure we had in place," Ellen said.
"Article Twelve requires your signature.
If you're willing to move forward, Northstar is willing to continue the review process.
But I want one thing on the record."
"Go ahead."
"Any future communications regarding this partnership come through you.
Not through an intermediary.
Not through a representative.
Through you."
"Agreed," I said.
"Then we'll schedule a call for Thursday.
My legal team and yours.
We'll go through the agreement from the beginning."
"Thank you, Ellen."
"Thank you, Claire." A brief pause.
"And for what it's worth — what you did last night at that microphone took courage.
I've been in a lot of rooms.
I know what it costs to do what you did."
The call ended.
The boardroom was quiet.
Patricia was the first to speak.
"We need to discuss Grant's position formally.
Today."
"Yes," Malcolm said.
He looked at me.
"Claire, do you want to be part of that conversation?"
I thought about the elevator the night before.
His hand on the door.
The three seconds he had held it.
"Yes," I said.
"I do."
The conversation that followed lasted two hours.
Thomas walked the board through the documentation Daniel had provided.
Sabrina gave her account, clearly and without deflection, answering every question the board asked.
Patricia pulled the financial records that showed the timeline of Grant's communications with Northstar's counsel against the company's internal decision log.
By one-thirty in the afternoon, the board had voted.
Grant's signing authority was suspended pending a full review.
His access to company systems was restricted.
Thomas would be contacting Grant's personal attorney before the end of the business day.
Malcolm walked me to the elevator afterward.
"How are you holding up?" he said.
"I'm all right."
"The baby?"
"Moving constantly." I managed a small smile.
"She has opinions."
He was quiet for a moment.
"I should have come to you in March.
When he tried to push through the policy amendment.
I stopped it, but I didn't tell you, and that was wrong."
"It was," I said.
"But you stopped it.
And you picked up the phone this morning."
The elevator arrived.
"Malcolm," I said, before I stepped in.
"The Northstar deal.
When it closes — and it will close — I want Daniel Reeves' name formally cleared in the company record.
And I want his termination reviewed."
"Consider it done."
The doors closed.
I leaned back against the wall and closed my eyes for just a moment.
My phone buzzed.
Grant.
May you like
I looked at the screen for a long moment.
Then I let it ring.
