Chapter 6 - THE TRAP AT THE BOARDROOM
At 8:30 AM the following morning, the top floor of the Mercer Logistics Tower in downtown Boston was buzzing with executive activity.
The fifteen members of the board of directors sat around the massive glass conference table for the emergency Asset Liquidation Vote.
At the head of the table sat Caroline, looking stunning in a black business suit, flanked by Dr. Julian Vance, who sat as Grant’s official "medical trustee."
Grant walked into the boardroom wearing a sharp charcoal suit. Beside him walked seven-year-old Maya and her mother, along with two process servers carrying leather briefcases.
Caroline offered a warm, sympathetic smile, stepping up to Grant and taking his hands. She spoke slowly, making sure her lips were clearly visible: "Grant, darling... thank you for coming. You don't need to stress yourself today. Julian and I will handle the voting signatures for you."
Grant looked into the eyes of the woman he had intended to marry. He didn't sign. He didn't nod.
He reached up to his right ear, pulled out the hidden, skin-colored bone-conduction hearing device, and placed it on the glass table in front of the board members.
He pressed a button on his smartphone.
A crystal-clear audio recording played through the boardroom's surround-sound speakers—the recorded conversation from Dr. Vance's office and the subterranean warehouse from the night before:
"Once the remaining thirty million dollars in offshore shipping bonds are transferred to the North Bridge Delaware account, Grant can have his hearing back for all I care... Without his hearing, he couldn't verify the wire signatures..."
The entire boardroom erupted into utter chaos. Executive directors jumped from their chairs in shock.
Caroline’s face went completely drain of color. Dr. Vance stumbled backward against the wall, his jaw hanging open in sheer horror.
"That... that's a fake recording!" Dr. Vance screamed, his voice echoing frantically. "Grant is deaf! He's suffering from severe auditory hallucinations and brain trauma!"
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Grant stepped up to the head of the table. He didn't look at a lip-reading chart. He looked Dr. Vance dead in the eye and spoke aloud—his voice strong, clear, and booming with absolute authority:
"I am not hallucinating, Julian. And I can hear every single lie coming out of your mouth."
