Chapter 4 - The Boardroom
Northstar Strategic Partners operated out of a sleek, minimalist office in downtown Seattle. It was designed to look like an independent boutique firm. None of the startups in its portfolio knew that Halcyon Venture Group pulled the strings from the shadows. I arrived at 10:15 AM. Alexander Vale was waiting in the lobby.
“He’s here,” Alexander murmured as we walked toward the glass-walled boardroom. “How does he look?” “Like a man who just lost his house and his mind.” I stopped at the heavy oak doors. “Are the auditors ready?” “Waiting on standby in the adjacent room.” “Let’s begin.”
I pushed the doors open. Bradley was pacing at the far end of the long mahogany table. His suit was wrinkled. His hair was messy. He looked like he hadn't showered, likely because he had spent the last hour throwing his mistress’s designer bags into the back of a rented moving van. He froze when he saw me walk in. “Megan?” He looked around the empty room, confused. “What are you doing here? Did you follow me?” I ignored him and walked to the head of the table. I pulled out the high-backed leather chair and sat down. Alexander stood silently at my right side.
Bradley’s confusion morphed into anger. “Megan, get out of here. I am in the middle of a corporate crisis. I have a meeting with my investors.” “I know,” I said smoothly. “Then why are you sitting there? This is Northstar’s boardroom!” “Take a seat, Bradley.” “I am not taking a seat! You sold my house! You sent bulldozers to my front door!” He slammed his hands on the table. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Brittany is in a motel! My mother is having palpitations!”
“Your mother’s heart health is not on today’s agenda,” I said. I opened my leather portfolio. “However, the misappropriation of company funds is.” Bradley stared at me. His chest heaved. Slowly, his eyes darted from me to Alexander, who was wearing a crisp suit and holding a tablet. “Who are you?” Bradley asked Alexander. “Alexander Vale. Chief Legal Officer for Halcyon Venture Group.” “Halcyon? What does Halcyon have to do with Northstar?”
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“Halcyon owns Northstar,” Alexander explained simply. “We are the parent company. We provide one hundred percent of the capital for Northstar’s investments.” Bradley’s legs gave out. He slumped into the nearest chair. He looked at me. Really looked at me. For the first time in five years, he wasn’t looking at the quiet woman who balanced his checkbook and made his dinner reservations. He was looking at the apex predator of Seattle’s venture capital food chain.
“You?” he whispered. “Me.” “You... you own Northstar?” “I own Halcyon. Halcyon owns Northstar. Ergo, I own fifty-one percent of your company.” The silence in the room was absolute. I could hear the faint hum of the air conditioning. “You lied to me,” Bradley choked out. “I omitted,” I corrected. “Just as you omitted the existence of Brittany Cole.” I slid a thick, bound document across the polished mahogany. It stopped exactly an inch from his hands. “Let’s talk about Blue Meridian Consulting, shall we?”
