Chapter 10 - THE MAN RUNNING DESMOND'S EMPIRE
Malcolm Reeve had served Desmond’s father before serving Desmond.
Sixty-one.
Never married.
Never photographed.
A man whose job was to know where every body, debt, secret, and weakness lived.
Sadi had seen him twice.
Both times, rooms went quiet.
When Desmond called him to the estate, Malcolm arrived within forty minutes.
No surprise.
No fear.
He listened while Desmond explained Catherine’s letter.
Then said:
“She misunderstood.”
Desmond’s voice stayed calm.
“Explain.”
“Patrick asked me about governance options after Seamus became ill.”
Seamus had suffered a stroke before death.
Patrick feared another succession crisis.
Reasonable.
Malcolm helped map incapacity clauses.
Also reasonable.
Then Sadi asked:
“Did you tell Patrick Desmond’s incapacity would give him control of AEGIS?”
Malcolm looked at her.
His expression said he was unaccustomed to caregivers speaking.
Desmond said:
“Answer her.”
Malcolm’s eyes moved back.
“I told Patrick temporary corporate authority could shift.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.”
“So who told him he’d own the licensing rights?”
“I don’t know.”
Sadi watched.
He was good.
Very good.
Then she noticed something.
His right hand.
Two fingers stained faintly blue.
Ink?
No.
Powder.
She had seen the same shade earlier.
On the tampered pill bottle cap.
Compounding dye.
Probably coincidence.
She asked:
“Did you handle Desmond’s medication?”
Malcolm almost smiled.
“No.”
“Today?”
“No.”
“Ever?”
“No.”
Desmond watched her.
“Why?”
Sadi pointed.
Malcolm looked at his fingers.
“Printer toner.”
Maybe.
He wiped them.
Then his phone buzzed.
He checked it.
Tiny reaction.
Sadi saw.
“What?”
Malcolm ignored her.
Desmond’s voice sharpened.
“What message?”
Malcolm placed the phone down.
A photo.
Patrick.
Sitting in his downtown office.
Alive.
Beside him:
Dr. Mercer.
Caption:
WE NEED TO END THIS BEFORE HE SIGNS.
No sender.
Desmond looked at Malcolm.
“Who is ‘he’?”
Malcolm said nothing.
Then Patrick called.
Not Desmond.
Malcolm.
The phone rang on the table.
Nobody moved.
Desmond said:
“Answer.”
Malcolm did.
Speaker.
Patrick’s voice:
“Did you get the vote delayed?”
Malcolm glanced at Desmond.
Too late.
Everything changed.
Patrick continued:
“We need Desmond declared incompetent before the independent review starts.”
Silence.
Patrick finally realized.
“Malcolm?”
Desmond spoke.
“I’m here.”
The line went dead.
Malcolm stood.
Frankie blocked the door.
Again, no guns.
Not yet.
Desmond looked at the man who had advised three generations of Gallaghers.
“You were helping him.”
Malcolm answered:
“I was preventing civil war.”
“By drugging me?”
“No.”
“By forging signatures?”
“No.”
“By arranging incapacity?”
“Yes.”
Truth.
Finally.
Malcolm believed Desmond’s paralysis had destabilized the organization.
Men were testing boundaries.
Rivals circling.
Patrick could run legitimate businesses.
Malcolm could keep criminal operations stable.
Desmond could remain symbolic head.
Alive.
Protected.
Sedated enough not to interfere.
Sadi felt sick.
“You decided his life for him.”
Malcolm looked at her.
“I kept him alive.”
Desmond’s face became unreadable.
“Was the bomb yours?”
“No.”
“Do you know whose?”
“No.”
“Mercer’s medication?”
Malcolm hesitated.
“Yes.”
The room froze.
“You ordered it?”
“I approved it.”
Desmond’s hands tightened.
Malcolm continued:
“Not to harm you.”
“To control me.”
“Yes.”
That single word nearly ended everything.
Sadi saw Desmond’s shoulders change.
Violence rising.
She stepped between them.
Malcolm actually looked amused.
“You think he won’t go through you?”
Sadi did not look back.
“He won’t.”
Desmond said nothing.
Then, slowly, his hands relaxed.
Malcolm’s amusement vanished.
Because for the first time, the old rules had failed.
Then Frankie’s phone rang.
Patrick had left his office.
Dr. Mercer too.
Destination unknown.
But the Meridian board just received new emergency paperwork.
Desmond Gallagher had supposedly resigned.
Effective immediately.
And the resignation carried a live video authentication.
Not forged signature.
Video.
Desmond on camera.
May you like
Speaking.
Except Desmond had never recorded it.
