Chapter 8 - The Cousin at the Table
Edward notified the Nevada Gaming Control Board at 3:17 p.m.
Orpheus Resorts received formal notice eleven minutes later.
The $2.4 billion transaction stopped moving before dinner.
Charles called Edward screaming.
“You panicked.”
Edward held the phone away from his ear.
“We found current destruction payments.”
“You found an invoice.”
“From your office.”
“Heritage handled damaged records.”
“Which records?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why did you approve emergency destruction?”
Charles stopped.
Edward heard him breathing.
Finally Charles said, “You just jeopardized two point four billion dollars because a fired floor manager’s grandfather had a grievance.”
“And because Heritage is your trust’s company.”
Silence.
Then Charles laughed.
“So Claire reached Delaware.”
“She did.”
“That ownership structure is disclosed to audit.”
“It is not disclosed to me.”
“You don’t read every schedule.”
Edward tightened his grip.
“Did you pay Marcus Lane?”
“Yes.”
The direct admission stunned him.
“Why?”
“To end nuisance claims.”
“Did you know what he was claiming?”
“That his father had been cheated.”
“Was he?”
Charles hesitated.
There.
Edward heard it.
“You knew.”
“I knew our fathers hated each other.”
“Your father and Raymond Lane?”
“My father and Arthur.”
Edward went still.
Charles lowered his voice.
“You worshipped Arthur.”
“I loved him.”
“You turned him into a saint.”
“What did Walter tell you?”
“Enough.”
“Tell me.”
“No.”
“Charles.”
“You want truth? Fine. Arthur was terrified of losing the license. He let Raymond take blame because Raymond was expendable.”
Edward closed his eyes.
“Was Walter behind the fire?”
Charles did not answer.
“Was he?”
The line went dead.
That evening the board met in emergency session.
Orpheus had paused diligence.
Gaming regulators had issued preservation requests.
Charles arrived in person.
His calm had returned.
He brought lawyers.
He also brought Agnes’s 1979 affidavit.
Copies were placed in front of every director.
“I, Agnes Rivera, observed no evidence of intentional fire-setting and have no knowledge of improper conduct by Walter Sterling.”
Agnes sat at the far end.
Victor sat behind her as a witness, no longer an employee.
Charles read the statement aloud.
Then he produced the $40,000 settlement check.
“Mrs. Rivera’s memory appears to have improved after forty-seven years.”
Agnes’s hands tightened.
Edward said, “We know why she signed.”
“Because she says Walter threatened her.”
“Arthur’s note corroborates—”
“Arthur’s alleged note.”
Claire spoke.
“Preliminary forensic testing—”
Charles turned.
“You work for Sterling Crown security, Ms. Donovan.”
“For now.”
“Then remember your role.”
Claire stared at him.
Edward intervened.
“Her role is to protect the company.”
Charles smiled.
“And mine is to protect shareholders.”
He looked at the board.
“Which brings us to Orpheus.”
If the transaction collapsed, Sterling Crown would owe $38 million in break costs and refinancing expenses.
Its debt markets could tighten.
Charles’s eight-percent stake would lose a potential $192 million liquidity event.
He wanted the deal alive.
Edward knew that.
What he had not known was how much Charles personally needed it.
Claire handed him a document.
Her investigators had found Charles pledged part of his Sterling Crown holdings against a $64 million private credit line.
If Orpheus closed, Charles could repay it easily.
If the deal collapsed and Sterling valuation fell, the lender could demand additional collateral.
“You’re leveraged,” Edward said.
Charles’s expression did not change.
“So?”
“You need Orpheus.”
“So does every shareholder.”
“Not like you.”
Charles leaned closer.
“Careful, cousin.”
Edward suddenly understood.
Arthur had protected Walter because exposing him threatened Sterling House.
Edward had protected forty-eight hours because disclosure threatened Orpheus.
Charles protected the past because it threatened his money.
Same family.
Different generation.
The board voted to appoint independent outside counsel and a forensic accounting firm.
Charles opposed.
He lost.
Then he made his counterattack.
“I move that Claire Donovan be placed on administrative leave.”
Claire stared.
“On what basis?”
“Conflict and insubordination.”
Edward said, “No.”
Charles looked at the directors.
“Security personnel accessed private trust ownership records beyond the original guest-incident investigation.”
Claire replied, “Through lawful corporate due diligence resources.”
Charles smiled.
“Let independent counsel decide.”
The vote split.
Four to three.
Claire was placed on paid leave pending review.
Charles looked at Edward.
The message was clear.
You can lose people too.
Claire removed her security badge.
Victor watched from the back.
Two people who had entered Sterling Crown with authority twenty-four hours earlier now stood outside it.
One fired.
One suspended.
Agnes remained seated.
Charles approached her after the meeting.
“You should have taken Arthur’s money and stayed gone.”
Agnes looked up.
“I did.”
Charles stopped.
She continued.
May you like
“That is the part I regret.”
For the first time, Charles’s smile vanished completely.
