In Sickness and in Lies novel · Chapter 24 of 32

Chapter 24: Founding Shares

The Keane Freight boardroom was on the fortieth floor, with a table of black glass and a view of the river.

I stood outside its double doors at ten minutes to nine on Friday morning, in the navy dress.

My litigator stood on my left with a briefcase.

Bruce stood on my right in a clean shirt, because he'd asked to come, and I'd said yes.

Cilla waited at the far end of the corridor in a gray coat, with her hands folded.

I had asked her not to come in, and she had not argued.

The assistant in the grey cardigan met us at the doors.

She had a security badge on a lanyard and a look I knew from the lobby.

"The vote is first on the agenda," she said quietly. "They're seated. He hasn't looked at the door once."

"Thank you."

"Mrs. Keane." She pulled the door open. "I've waited sixteen years to hold this."

I walked in.

Nine people sat around the table in dark suits.

Desmond stood at the head with a remote in his hand.

Behind him a screen read PROPOSED SALE TO HARLOW GROUP.

Two men I didn't know sat beside him with folders marked in blue.

The chairman of the board, a white-haired man I'd met at a hundred dinners, was the first to see me.

"Gwyneth?"

Desmond turned.

For a moment, I saw his face before he arranged it.

Then he smiled.

"This is a closed session," he said. "My wife isn't well. Someone please..."

"I'm here as a shareholder," I said.

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