Chapter 11: One Founder

The Singapore chairman joined the video call at nine on Monday morning in a dark suit.

Six of his executives were lined up behind him.

I sat at my boardroom table in Stamford with Daniel on my left and my own board chairman on my right.

The memo lay in front of me on a single printed page.

It said that Mr. Brodie Kittredge, cofounder and Vice President of Partnerships, was the principal contact for the Singapore agreement.

It was signed with his name and sent from his private email.

"Chairman," I said. "Thank you for making time."

"Ms. Hartnell." He inclined his head. "I am a careful man. Before I wire a very large sum, I like to know exactly with whom I am dealing."

"That's fair."

"A letter arrived on Saturday night. It says your husband built this company beside you."

"It's untrue."

"I assumed. But I should like to hear it from someone who is not you."

He glanced to one side of his screen.

"For that reason, I invited Mr. Kittredge to join us."

Daniel's hand closed on the edge of the table.

A second window opened on the call.

Brodie sat in a leather chair in a law office, in a blue suit I had paid for.

Esther sat beside him with her pearls on and her hands folded in her lap.

The lawyer from the board meeting hovered at the back.

"Good morning, everyone," Brodie said, with a smile so warm it nearly worked.

"Mr. Kittredge," the chairman said. "You are the cofounder of Pathlight?"

"I am."

"In which year?"

"In the beginning. We built it together. Susannah had the idea, and I had the, ah, the relationships. The partnerships. The vision."

"Which of those relationships led to this contract?"

Brodie paused for half a breath.

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