Chapter 6: What Charles Offered
Eleanor arrived at the house the following morning while I was still at the hospital.
She let herself in with the spare key Samantha had arranged, did a full walk-through, and called me at nine forty-five.
"He went through the filing cabinet in the study," she said.
"Three drawers.
Everything's been handled carefully — nothing obviously taken — but the order is wrong.
Lucas organized by date.
Whoever went through it organized by size."
"Charles."
"Before the officers arrived, yes.
He had approximately twelve minutes alone in that room." A pause.
"I need you to think about whether there is anything in that cabinet that he would have wanted."
"The company incorporation documents," I said immediately.
"Lucas kept originals there.
And there was an external hard drive — gray, small, in the back of the bottom drawer.
Lucas's early financial records."
"I'll check."
She called back in four minutes.
"The hard drive is gone."
I closed my eyes.
"What was on it?"
"That's what I need to understand.
Can you tell me?"
"Lucas used it as a backup for the company's founding-period records.
Contracts, investor correspondence, early partnership agreements." I stopped.
"Diane Reeves.
If there was a formal partnership between them, the original agreement would be on that drive."
Eleanor was quiet for a moment.
"Victoria, I need to ask you something directly.
Is it possible that Diane Reeves held any ownership stake in the company that was not properly dissolved before Lucas incorporated Baldwin-Gallagher?"
The question landed like a stone.
"I don't know," I said.
"Lucas never mentioned a formal partnership.
He always described her as a mentor."
"If there was an undissolved agreement, and Charles has the documentation —"
"He could use it to challenge the company's ownership structure."
"Yes."
I sat with that.
"He's not trying to take the house anymore," I said slowly.
"He's trying to take the company."
"That's my read," Eleanor said.
"The house was the opening move.
The company is what he actually wants."
Charles called me that afternoon.
I almost didn't answer.
Then I thought about what Eleanor had said — *let him talk* — and I picked up.
"Victoria." His voice was smooth.
Controlled.
The voice he used in boardrooms.
"I want to apologize for yesterday.
Things got out of hand."
"You dragged me out of my house by my hair while I was in labor."
A pause.
"I panicked.
I was worried about the estate.
I made a serious mistake and I'm sorry." Another pause, shorter.
"I'd like to sit down with you.
Just the two of us.
No attorneys."
"No."
"Victoria —"
"Whatever you want to say, you say it through Eleanor Marsh."
His tone shifted.
Not dramatically.
Just a degree colder.
"I'm trying to help you.
There are things about Lucas's business history that you don't know.
Things that could create serious problems for you if they come out the wrong way." A beat.
"I have documentation.
I'd like to share it with you privately before this goes any further."
"Send it to Eleanor."
"That's not how this works."
"It is now," I said.
"Don't call this number again."
I ended the call.
My hands were steady.
I noticed that.
I called Eleanor immediately and told her everything.
"Good," she said.
"He's trying to negotiate privately because he knows what he has isn't as strong as he wants you to think.
If he had a genuine legal claim, his attorney would have contacted me already." A pause.
"He's going to try one more time before he escalates.
Be ready."
She was right.
The next call came two hours later.
May you like
Not from Charles.
From Courtney.
