“For what?”
“Deaths.”
The room became very quiet.
Victoria continued.
“Hawthorne Medical Systems manufactured portable infusion controllers used by hospitals and military field facilities.”
“One model had a firmware defect.”
“Under certain conditions, it could deliver medication at the wrong rate.”
Rachel’s face changed immediately.
“How many?”
“We never knew exactly.”
“What do you mean, never knew?”
“The company found thirteen confirmed incidents.”
“Eight deaths.”
Taylor felt sick.
Victoria continued.
“The engineering team recommended an immediate recall.”
“My father’s executive group delayed it.”
Rachel whispered:
“Why?”
“Because Hawthorne was six weeks from closing the largest federal medical systems contract in company history.”
Taylor understood.
“A recall would have killed the deal.”
“Yes.”
“So they hid it.”
“Yes.”
“Gregory?”
Victoria looked toward him.
“Gregory was vice president of strategic risk.”
Taylor laughed once.
No humor.
“Strategic risk.”
“He managed the response.”
“Meaning?”
“Private settlements.”
“Nondisclosure agreements.”
“Pressure on hospitals.”
“Reclassification of incidents.”
“Payments through outside consultants.”
Taylor’s stomach turned.
“And Megan found the money.”
“Yes.”
“What did she do?”
“She came to me.”
Taylor stared.
“Why you?”
“I was twenty-eight.”
“I was on the board but had almost no real authority.”
“My father thought giving me a seat would satisfy my mother’s estate conditions.”
“But Megan believed I might listen.”
“Did you?”
Victoria looked down.
“Not enough.”
That answer mattered.
Taylor felt his anger shift.
“What does that mean?”
“She showed me copies.”
“Emails.”
“Payments.”
“Engineering reports.”
“I thought it was impossible.”
“My father told me she was trying to blackmail us.”
Gregory told me Calder was under investigation for fraud.”
Taylor’s voice became quiet.
“You didn’t believe her.”
“No.”
Victoria looked toward the locket.
“Not at first.”
Taylor turned away.
Rachel asked:
“What changed?”
“One of the engineers died.”
Silence.
“Car accident.”
Victoria continued.
“Two weeks after telling Megan he would testify.”
Taylor slowly faced her.
“And then?”
“Megan called me.”
“She said somebody followed her home.”
“She had copied everything.”
“She wanted to go to federal investigators.”
“I told her I would help.”
Taylor stared.
“That photo.”
Victoria nodded.
“We met at a foundation reception because it was the only place I knew Gregory’s security people wouldn’t question us being together.”
“Megan gave me a drive.”
Taylor’s heart pounded.
“Where is it?”
“I don’t know.”
He stared.
Victoria explained quickly.
“I hid it.”
“Where?”
“In my father’s private archive.”
“Then?”
“Gregory found out we met.”
“I don’t know how.”
“The next morning Megan disappeared.”
Taylor’s voice failed.
Rachel covered her mouth.
Victoria continued.
“I confronted my father.”
“He said Megan had taken money and run.”
“I didn’t believe him anymore.”
“I went back for the drive.”
“It was gone.”
Taylor closed his eyes.
Seven years.
“Did you call police?”
“No.”
He opened them.