Chapter 11 - THE VOTE THEY NEEDED DANIEL TO MISS
The Aurora acquisition vote was postponed.
Not canceled.
That distinction mattered to lenders, city officials, and hundreds of employees.
The special committee announced a governance review.
Nothing more publicly.
Mercer Development’s stock was privately held, but rumors still moved through Denver real-estate circles.
Projects did not like uncertainty.
Subcontractors called.
Banks called.
City staff called.
Daniel tried to return to work.
His cardiologist said no.
He called the cardiologist “a fascist.”
I confiscated his laptop for two hours.
Our marriage improved through petty dictatorship.
Then Naomi found the acquisition terms.
If the board approved Aurora Phase II, Alder Civic Strategies automatically received:
A five-year consulting extension.
Success fee: $4 million.
Additional community-engagement budget: up to $1.5 million annually.
Eric had millions riding on Friday.
Daniel planned to fire him Thursday night.
Motive became stronger.
Still not proof he drugged Daniel.
Celeste’s motive was different.
Aurora Phase II also protected Mercer Development from writing down the existing project.
If the acquisition failed, lenders could force a new valuation.
The hidden overruns would become harder to conceal.
So Celeste needed the vote too.
Victoria?
Her foundation exposure would surface if independent review began.
Three people needed Daniel quiet.
One person had access to midazolam.
A family where everyone had motive did not make Detective Ortiz’s job easier.
At noon, the special committee interviewed Celeste.
I did not attend.
My temporary voting authority made my presence too complicated.
Naomi summarized afterward.
Celeste admitted receiving $250,000 from Eric.
Called it settlement of a personal advance she made years earlier.
Bank records showed she had transferred him $200,000 in 2018.
Possible.
The extra $50,000 remained unexplained.
She denied knowing Daniel would fire Eric.
That conflicted with emails.
She admitted knowing Daniel planned “some governance changes.”
She admitted wanting the Aurora vote completed first.
She denied drugging him.
Denied asking Eric to.
Denied altering medical records.
Then:
“She admitted giving Eric her foundation card.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“She says he needed access for grant files.”
“And the Mercedes?”
“Loaned it because his car was in repair.”
“Thursday?”
“Yes.”
“Did she know he went to the foundation after midnight?”
“She says no.”
“What about the revocation?”
“She says Douglas drafted it Monday after Daniel threatened to remove her from hospital authority if he ever became ill.”
“Did Daniel ask for it?”
“No.”
“So Celeste asked Douglas.”
“Yes.”
“Why Mara?”
Naomi looked at me.
“She said you would weaponize any medical crisis to seize control.”
I almost laughed.
“She created the document that let her accuse me of doing the thing she was doing.”
“Yes.”
“Did she tell Victoria Daniel signed?”
“Yes.”
“Did she know the signature was copied?”
“She says Douglas told her it was legally effective under Daniel’s existing authorization.”
“That sounds unlikely.”
“Douglas will explain it to his own lawyer.”
A separate firm investigation was underway.
Then Naomi’s expression changed.
“What?”
“Celeste said something about the sedative.”
My body tightened.
“What?”
“She says Daniel was panicking during the meeting.”
“He was having an arrhythmia.”
“She says before that.”
“Did she give him medication?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“She says Eric offered something.”
My skin chilled.
“What?”
“She didn’t know.”
“Did she see Daniel take it?”
“No.”
“Did she stop Eric?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“She thought it was an antianxiety spray.”
Midazolam nasal spray could be administered intranasally.
Usually for seizure emergencies in certain formulations.
Not anxiety.
“Did Eric spray Daniel?”
“Celeste says she left before anything happened.”
Convenient.
But Victoria had said Eric asked whether calming Daniel would help.
Pieces.
Then Detective Ortiz called.
They had the pharmacy bag from Eric’s office under forensic analysis.
Inside residue.
Midazolam.
Expected.
The bottle seized from his office had been partially used.
Also expected if his son needed it.
Then they checked prescription refill history.
Miles Vale’s prescription had been filled Monday.
Two devices.
One was still sealed at Eric’s home.
One was in his office.
Partially used.
Family medical records documented no seizure requiring rescue medication that week.
That narrowed.
Not enough.
Then Ortiz said:
“We have a witness.”
“Who?”
“Mercer night security.”
At 11:28 p.m., a guard walked past the executive conference room.
Door partly open.
He saw Eric leaning over Daniel.
“What was he doing?”
“Guard thought he was helping.”
“With what?”
“Something near Daniel’s face.”
My stomach turned.
“Spray?”
“Couldn’t see.”
“Who else was in the room?”
“Victoria.”
“Celeste?”
“Gone.”
“Did Victoria see?”
“The guard says she was on the phone near the windows.”
That placed Eric close enough.
Then:
“Daniel’s fingerprints are not on the midazolam device seized from Eric’s office.”
“Eric’s?”
“Yes.”
“Anyone else?”
“One partial.”
“Whose?”
Ortiz paused.
“We’re comparing.”
An hour later, she called back.
The partial print did not belong to Celeste.
Or Victoria.
May you like
Or Daniel.
It belonged to Douglas Kane.
