Chapter 6 — Derek Received A Phone Call He Wasn't Ready For.
Derek Sloane's Tuesday had been going well.
He had a lunch with an external advisory contact at a restaurant near the waterfront. Good food, good conversation, the satisfying sense of a man whose plans were on schedule. He was midway through his main course when his phone buzzed.
Margaret Voss. Board member. The longest-serving, the most observant, the one he had never quite been able to read.
He excused himself and stepped outside.
"Derek," she said. Her voice was even and careful in the way of someone who had chosen their tone in advance. "I'd suggest you prepare thoroughly for tomorrow's meeting."
"The agenda was circulated this morning," he said. "I've reviewed it."
"I'd suggest you review it again," she said. "Good afternoon."
She ended the call.
Derek stood on the pavement outside the restaurant for a moment. Then he went back inside, finished his water but not his food, paid the bill, and returned to the office.
He closed his office door.
He made three phone calls.
The first was to the company's legal counsel — his own retained counsel, not the company's. He described the situation as a potential board dispute and asked about his options. The lawyer asked several questions. The answers Derek gave were careful.
The second call was to Bryce. He told him that there might be a review of the Q3 numbers and that Bryce should be available tomorrow with documentation.
Bryce said: "What kind of review?"
Derek said: "Routine. Don't worry about it."
The third call was to a board member he believed was in his corner — a man who had been supportive of the leadership transition and who Derek had cultivated carefully over the past several months.
That man listened. Then he said: "Derek, I think you need to understand that the situation may be more developed than you're aware of. I'd recommend you come tomorrow prepared to give a complete account of the last six months."
He ended the call before Derek could ask a follow-up question.
Derek sat in the silence of his office.
He pulled up the meeting notice again and read it carefully. The sender was Colton, R. That was the founder's name. But the founder was on medical leave. The founder had not been in contact with the company in months.
His assistant knocked and entered.
"Derek, I got a call from building facilities. One of the contracted cleaners finished their placement today — their six-week rotation. The name on the exit form is Ray Colton." She paused. "Unusual coincidence. Do you know the name?"
Derek looked at her for a moment.
He shook his head slowly.
Then he looked back at his screen.
Colton.
The word sat there, ordinary and unmistakable.
He thought about the man with the mop cart who had been in the building every morning for six weeks. The man nobody looked at. The man he himself had told to pay attention when he nearly walked into a clean floor.
He thought about that for a long time.
Then he picked up his phone and dialed a number.
It rang four times.
"Hello, Derek," said the voice on the other end.
Derek said nothing for a moment.
"Tomorrow," Ray said. "We'll talk tomorrow."
He ended the call.