Page 158 of See You Maybe
Declan thought he would be consumed with anger in this moment—in this room—facing his former best friend. The man who had killed his father, and stolen from him… But all Declan was conscious of was the cold certainty that he was going to end the man across the table.
“You’re late.” Chris leaned back in the chair. “I hope nothing is wrong.”
Declan’s blood pulsed behind his eyes, but his voice was even when he replied. “Not at all. I heard felicitations are in order.”
Something flickered across Chris’s face.
That’s right, fucker. You can’t breathe without me knowing.
Several of the older board members looked between the two of them. Alan Carrol’s skin was an unhealthy, patchy gray.
“Thank you,” Chris responded with a self-deprecating smile. “We haven’t announced it yet, but yes, Courtney and I were married a couple weekends ago.”
Declan tilted his head. “Did the orderlies decorate?”
Chris’s mouth tightened, and then he squared his shoulders and smiled broadly at the people around the table. “Perhaps we should get started,”
“We should,” Declan drawled, his eyes never leaving Chris. “As a shareholder in this company, I’d like to call for a vote of no confidence for our current CEO. His term has been short, and I’m concerned that his extended tenure at this company could be detrimental to our reputation and stock price.”
No one at the table moved. Everyone knew it was coming. “I have an individual here who will speak to the current CEO’s connection to a fatal drunk driving accident.” Chris narrowed his eyes, but Declan didn’t blink. “I also have a report from a company I recently purchased, Everlasting Love. They will attest that Courtney Bloom gave them David Bloom’s ashes. I also have here today a report from an independent lab that verifies the presence of thallium in those same ashes. These reports, in addition to a recording of Mr. Keller’s late stepson Trey Crawford, implicating our current CEO in the murder of Mr. Bloom, are more than enough to violate the morality clauses in his contract.”
“So, you paid someone to make up a story and falsify some documents,” Chris scoffed, but his eyes had darkened. “So, what? You look desperate, Declan.” Chris’s eyes darted to Carrol’s, and when the older man stared at his hands on the table, Chris’s jaw flexed. He’d get no support there.
“If you have proof, why haven’t you gone to the police?” one of the board members asked.
“I haven’t ruled it out,” Declan said, not lifting his gaze from Chris. “However, I’m hoping to protect Bloom Communication’s reputation.”
“But if you think he murdered your father…” The woman persisted.
It was interesting that no one at the table had balked at the suggestion that it was possible.
“This is pure fantasy born of grief and guilt over his relationship with his father.” Chris sounded confident, but his flushed face gave him away.
Declan’s lips lifted in a cold smile, and Chris blanched. His old friend was no match for him. Not in terms of ruthlessness. If Chris wanted to secure the Bloom fortune, he should have killed Declan years ago.
“I’d like to hear what he has to say,” someone else said. “Declan isn’t a liar.” Several people at the table nodded, and Chris’s color flushed a deeper hue.
The door behind him swished open, and Declan turned with a gentle smile to greet the woman who entered, flanked by two Elite Security Specialists bodyguards. After the explosion this morning, Declan wasn’t taking any chances.
“Ms. Doe,” Declan ushered her forward, before meeting the gaze of everyone at the table with a hard stare of his own. “For now, she will remain anonymous. However, I’m sure if the story were to be leaked to the media, her name would be revealed.” The implied threat was obvious.
The young woman stared at Chris, who seemed confused. He squinted. “Who is this?” His shoulders relaxed, but as the former escort spoke, the smile fell from his face.
“You may not remember me, but I remember you.” Her voice only trembled a little as she gave a sanitized version of the event that had resulted in the death of her friend.
After finishing, Declan gave her a grateful smile, and Cecile escorted her from the room. Declan scanned the group around the table.
“I’m sure Chris isn’t the first person to pay for sex, but the fact of the matter is he killed a woman in my car while drunk and then covered it up.”
Cecile circled the table, dropping folders in front of each person, as Declan lifted his phone and hit play on the recording from the night Trey confessed to Cami.
When he clicked it off, Chris was pale.
“In front of you, you will find the photos used to frame me and blackmail my father. The reports included clearly provide evidence that someone manipulated the accident photos. There are transcripts of Trey’s confession, implicating Chris Keller in my father’s murder, and the lab reports on the thallium. These reports are all poised for release to the media.” Declan cocked a brow. “Questions?”
The room was silent for a moment before a woman lifted a hand. “Motion to vote no-confidence on our current CEO, Chris Keller.”
Less than five minutes later, it was over. The board removed Chris from his position, despite his futile attempts to sway the other shareholders. To Declan’s surprise, upon realizing it was hopeless, Chris hadn’t raged or cursed. Instead, he stood briefly, tugged at his cuffs to straighten them, and strode from the room.