Chapter 17 - THE EXECUTIVE WHO DISAPPEARED
His name was Gregory Sloan.
For twelve years, Gregory had served as Vance Logistics' chief restructuring officer.
He had left the company three weeks before Evelyn took control.
According to his official records, he had retired.
He had not.
Arthur discovered that Gregory had quietly created Northbridge Meridian through three intermediary companies.
“He has been buying distressed infrastructure for eighteen months.”
Evelyn looked at the map on the wall.
“How many?”
“Eleven assets.”
“Why?”
Arthur pointed to the locations.
“They all connect to the same freight corridor.”
Evelyn stepped closer.
The pattern became obvious.
Northbridge wasn't building a random portfolio.
It was assembling a transportation network.
And Halcyon was the missing piece.
“If we buy Halcyon,” Evelyn said, “we give Gregory control of the corridor.”
Arthur nodded.
“And if he buys it?”
“He controls our access.”
The board wanted the acquisition because it looked profitable.
Evelyn now understood why it was being offered cheaply.
Someone wanted Sterling-Apex to do the work of assembling the network.
Then they would use the resulting dependence against the company.
She ordered a deeper investigation.
The following morning, Gregory Sloan called her directly.
“I hear you're interested in Halcyon.”
Evelyn leaned back.
“I hear you're interested in my company.”
Gregory laughed.
“Your company?”
“Sterling-Apex.”
“You inherited it.”
“No.”
Evelyn's voice remained calm.
“I rebuilt it.”
Silence.
Then Gregory said:
“You're more like your father than I expected.”
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
“How do you know my father?”
The line went dead.
She stared at the phone.
For the first time since the divorce, the past had reached toward her again.
But this time, it had nothing to do with Marcus.
May you like
It had to do with her family.
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