Chapter 3 - The Locker Contained No Treasure
The yacht was owned by Reed Coastal Holdings, not Victor personally.
James was the company’s chief executive and one of its directors.
That gave him lawful access to corporate spaces aboard the vessel.
Still, he refused to open the locker that night.
“I’m not turning Dad’s suspicious behavior into permission to tear through everything while we’re furious.”
Sarah agreed.
Instead James contacted the company’s outside counsel, Melissa Grant, the next morning.
Melissa knew exactly which locker he meant.
“It was originally used for board records during offshore planning trips,” she said.
“Does my father have exclusive control?”
“No.”
“Can I access it?”
“As CEO, yes, if the materials are corporate. If personal documents are mixed in, preserve them and let counsel sort.”
So James returned with Melissa present.
Victor refused to attend.
The silver key opened a narrow teak cabinet behind the owner-cabin desk.
Inside were no diamonds.
No hidden cash.
No mysterious will changing everyone’s inheritance.
There were three document cases.
The first held old Reed Coastal board minutes.
The second contained title records for Cape Arden Marina, the family’s largest waterfront property.
The third was recent.
James opened it.
A sale proposal.
Westbridge Harbor Partners wanted to purchase the marina and adjoining commercial land for $84 million.
James knew about the offer.
He had rejected it three months earlier.
Not permanently.
He wanted updated valuation and stronger protections for the public boat slips used by local fishermen and smaller operators.
Victor thought he was being sentimental.
Nothing secret there.
Then James found a closing schedule dated only two weeks away.
He frowned.
“Why is there a closing schedule if the board never approved the sale?”
Melissa took the document.
Then another.
A draft consent stated that Victor was authorized to execute transaction documents under a 2023 Management Continuity Proxy signed by James.
James went completely still.
“I signed a proxy when I had shoulder surgery.”
Melissa nodded.
“For routine operations during your recovery.”
“Not an eighty-four-million-dollar property sale.”
“No.”
Then she found a printed email from her own office.
It was addressed to Victor.
The continuity proxy does not authorize disposition of Cape Arden Marina. Formal board approval remains required. Please do not represent otherwise.
Sarah looked at James.
“Your father knew.”
James did not answer.
Then another envelope fell from beneath the papers.
Not company documents.
A lender notice addressed personally to Victor Reed.
Amount outstanding:
$6.7 million.
Secured against a substantial portion of Victor’s personal shares in Reed Coastal Holdings.
James stared.
The marina sale would generate a large shareholder distribution.
Enough for Victor to clear the loan.
May you like
Now the hidden urgency finally had a shape.
---
