“Approximately twenty-two years.”
The chairman looked at her.
“Who has possession?”
“Law enforcement has secured the site.”
His jaw tightened.
There.
The CEO continued.
“Documents accompanying the vehicle call into question the company’s historical ownership representation.”
The general counsel spoke.
“We should stop.”
The CEO turned.
“Why?”
“If criminal authorities are involved—”
“Independent counsel has cleared factual notice.”
The chairman said:
“This is absurd.”
The CEO looked.
“Which part?”
“That some garage mechanic found an old car and now we are treating it as corporate crisis.”
The CEO’s eyes hardened.
“The garage mechanic’s family owns forty percent of the underlying intellectual property according to an agreement signed by my father.”
The room erupted.
The chairman did not.
He looked tired.
Not surprised.
The CEO saw.
“Did you know?”
He did not answer.
“Did you know?”
He looked around.
Then at her.
“Yes.”
Nobody spoke.
The CEO’s voice became quiet.
“For how long?”
“Since it was signed.”
She stared.
“You told me the company owned Project Twelve.”
“It effectively did.”
“No.”
“You know how early companies worked.”
“Paper lagged behind reality.”
“This wasn’t paper lag.”
“The other party refused transfer.”
“He wanted more money.”
The CEO looked toward the single father? He wasn't in boardroom likely not. She said:
“He wanted safety review.”
The chairman laughed once.
“That’s what he told people later.”
“Were you there?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell us.”
The chairman sighed.
“Your father was brilliant.”
“He was also impossible.”
“The fabrication lead knew that.”
“They became convinced the investors wanted to strip their work.”
“They became paranoid.”
“We were three weeks from insolvency.”
“I had payroll.”
“Lenders.”
“Suppliers.”
“Your father wanted philosophical debates.”
“So you forged a transfer?”
“I did not forge anything.”
“Then who did?”
His expression changed.
“Careful.”
The CEO leaned forward.
“My father recorded a statement two days before he died.”
The chairman’s face went white.
Not metaphorically.
Actually white.
The CEO had never seen fear on him.
“What statement?”
“He says there was no assignment.”
The chairman looked toward counsel.
Counsel looked equally alarmed.
The CEO continued.
“He says if the company reported the car stolen, it was false.”
The chairman closed his eyes.
For one second he looked ancient.
Then he whispered:
“He recorded that?”