Chapter 7: Arthur Reed's Last Offer
Arthur Reed arrived at the meeting in a black limousine.
He was seventy-one years old, with silver hair, a carefully tailored charcoal suit, and a face that looked permanently disappointed in the world.
Two security guards accompanied him.
Xavier followed.
He wore no expensive smile this time.
He looked tired.
Rebecca and I were already seated in a conference room at her law firm.
Arthur entered, glanced at the chairs, and sat opposite me.
“Cedric Walls.””
“Arthur Reed.””
He smiled faintly.
“You look like your father.””
“I've heard that before.””
“He was a difficult man.””
I leaned forward.
“Then you remember him.””
Arthur removed his gloves.
“I remember many people.””
“Do you remember stealing his work?””
Rebecca placed a recorder on the table.
Arthur glanced at it.
“Are we recording?””
“Yes,” Rebecca answered.
“With your knowledge and consent.””
He nodded.
“Fine.””
I opened my folder and removed the photograph of my parents.
“Do you recognize them?””
Arthur barely looked at it.
“Your parents were involved in an early research project.””
“Together.””
“Yes.””
“And you claimed ownership of their work.””
Arthur adjusted his cufflinks.
“The company paid for development.””
“My father said the company altered the agreement.””
“Your father had a tendency to misunderstand business arrangements.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“My father understood machines better than anyone I've ever met.””
“Perhaps. But engineering talent doesn't automatically make someone a businessman.””
Rebecca interrupted.
“Mr. Reed, do you have the original signed agreement?””
Arthur nodded toward Xavier.
Xavier opened a leather folder and placed a document on the table.
“This is the agreement,” Arthur said.
“Your father accepted seventy-five thousand dollars. The rights were transferred.””
I examined the document.
It was the same one Rebecca had already seen.
But this time, I noticed something else.
The signature page carried my father's name.
My mother's name was nowhere.
“Where is my mother's signature?””
Arthur looked at me.
“She wasn't a party to the agreement.””
“She was a co-inventor.””
“She was your father's wife.””
Rebecca leaned forward.
“Mr. Reed, are you suggesting that marriage extinguished her intellectual property rights?””
Arthur's expression hardened.
“I'm suggesting the company dealt with the individual responsible for the project.””
I laughed.
“My mother designed the release mechanism.””
“Your father presented the prototype.””
“My mother designed it.””
Arthur tapped the table.
“Mr. Walls, I understand that you're upset. But sentiment doesn't change legal ownership.””
He slid another document toward me.
A settlement offer.
$500,000.
In exchange for a complete release of claims against Vantage and its affiliates.
I stared at the number.
Five hundred thousand dollars.
Enough to rebuild my father's shop.
Enough to buy a house.
Enough to never worry about another bill.
But not enough to give away twenty years of my parents' work.
Arthur leaned back.
“Take the money. Walk away. Build something new.””
I looked at him.
“Why are you offering me half a million dollars if you believe you already own everything?””
His expression didn't change.
“Because litigation is expensive.””
“Then why are you here personally?””
Silence.
Xavier shifted in his chair.
Arthur looked toward his son.
“Because I wanted to offer you a reasonable solution.””
I closed the folder.
“No.””
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
“You should think carefully.””
“I have.””
He leaned forward.
“Your father spent years fighting this company. He died without achieving anything. Do you want to repeat his mistakes?””
My hands tightened beneath the table.
Rebecca placed a hand over my wrist.
I took a breath.
“My father may have lost a legal battle. But he didn't lose his work. And I'm not signing away my mother's name.””
Arthur stood.
“Then you leave us no choice.””
Xavier looked uncomfortable.
“Dad—”
Arthur raised one hand.
“Not now.””
He turned toward me.
“You have seventy-two hours to reconsider.””
Then he walked out.
Xavier remained.
He looked at me for several seconds.
“Cedric, you don't understand what you're getting into.””
I stood.
“Then explain it.””
He glanced toward Rebecca.
“Not here.””
Rebecca immediately responded.
“Anything you have to say can be said with counsel present.””
Xavier shook his head.
“You think my father is protecting the company. He's protecting himself.””
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
He moved closer.
“The original patent was never transferred legally.””
Rebecca's eyes narrowed.
“Then why did your father present that agreement?””
“Because he knows the original document would destroy him.””
I felt my pulse quicken.
“What original document?””
Xavier looked toward the door.
Then he whispered:
“The one signed by your mother.””
That evening, Xavier called me.
I answered because I wanted the truth.
“Where is the original document?”” I asked.
“Not with my father.””
“Then where?””
“I don't know.””
“Xavier, stop playing games.””
He exhaled.
“My father kept everything related to the original project in a private archive. But several months ago, someone removed the file.””
“Who?””
“Your girlfriend.””
I went silent.
“Naomi?””
“Yes.””
“Why would she have access?””
“Because she worked as a research consultant for one of our subsidiaries.””
I gripped my phone.
“What?””
“She was hired to review historical engineering materials. My father approved it.””
“When?””
“Last year.””
I remembered Naomi mentioning a consulting position.
She had told me it was an opportunity to build her academic résumé.
I had congratulated her.
I had even driven her to her first meeting.
Xavier continued.
“She found the original file. She copied it. Then she came to me.””
“Why?””
“Because she wanted to know whether it could help us negotiate with you.””
My throat tightened.
“Did she give it to you?””
“No.””
“Why not?””
“Because she discovered something in it.””
“What?””
Xavier hesitated.
“Your mother never signed away her rights.””
I closed my eyes.
“Then why did Arthur say the transfer was valid?””
“Because my father forged her signature on a later document.””
My stomach dropped.
“Are you telling me your father committed fraud?””
“I'm telling you what I know.””
I looked at the photograph of my parents.
“Why are you helping me?””
Xavier laughed without humor.
“Because my father is preparing to blame me for everything if this becomes public.””
There was a long silence.
Then he added:
“Naomi knows more than she's telling you.””
I felt a familiar anger rising.
“Where is she?””
“At my penthouse.””
“Put her on the phone.””
“She isn't here.””
“Where is she?””
“I don't know.””
The call disconnected.
I immediately contacted Rebecca.
She answered while driving home.
“What happened?””
I told her everything.
She went quiet.
Then she said:
“Cedric, there's another issue. I just received the forensic examiner's preliminary report.””
“And?””
“The signature on the agreement is almost certainly not your father's.””
I sat down.
Rebecca continued.
“And the person who witnessed the document was not Dr. Bennett.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“The signature attributed to him was also likely copied.””
My heart began pounding.
“Then who witnessed it?””
Rebecca paused.
“Someone whose name appears in the original patent application.””
“Who?””
“Your mother.””
I couldn't breathe.
Rebecca spoke slowly.
“Your mother's signature was used to witness the document that allegedly transferred her own invention.””
I stared at the phone.
Then I heard a knock at my garage door.
Three slow knocks.
I opened the security camera.
A woman stood outside.
Naomi.
She was holding a thick envelope against her chest.
And behind her, a black car was parked across the street.
May you like
Someone was sitting inside.
Watching her.
