Chapter 6 - THOMAS MERCER’S VERSION OF THE TRUTH
Thomas Mercer looked older than I remembered.
Not weak.
Reduced.
He placed the banker’s box on Martin’s conference table and sat opposite me.
Daniel refused to leave.
Thomas barely acknowledged him.
“I came because Patricia is going to blame me for everything.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“You forged Claire’s signature.”
Thomas looked at him.
“Yes.”
The room went silent.
No denial.
No attorney speech.
Just yes.
“Why?”
I asked.
“Because Portwell wouldn’t advance the option without evidence you were interested.”
“So you fabricated it.”
“Yes.”
“And Dad’s medical records?”
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
“Purchased.”
“From who?”
“A contractor who managed executive insurance files.”
Martin wrote the name down.
Thomas continued.
“I wanted Harbor Street.”
“Why?”
“Because your father ruined me.”
Martin pushed the settlement forward.
“You received $2.6 million.”
Thomas stared at it.
“He paid me to disappear.”
“You signed a release.”
“Because I had no choice.”
“You misused investor funds.”
“I moved money temporarily.”
I almost laughed.
Men who took money always seemed fascinated by the word temporary.
Then Thomas explained the history.
He and Dad had once planned a port-data venture together.
Dad handled analytics.
Thomas handled property and financing.
Thomas moved investor money to cover unrelated debt.
Dad discovered it.
Removed him.
Bought out the remaining rights.
Built Ellison Maritime without him.
Legally, Dad won.
Emotionally, Thomas never recovered.
He raised Daniel inside that resentment.
“This doesn’t explain why you’re here.”
Thomas looked at the box.
“Because Patricia stopped trying to recover what we lost.”
“What did she start doing?”
“Trying to take everything.”
Daniel stared.
“What does that mean?”
Thomas opened the box.
Bank records.
Portwell correspondence.
Loan documents.
Patricia had created her own company:
Mercer Harbor Partners.
Ownership:
Patricia Mercer — 70%.
Daniel Mercer — 30%.
Daniel went pale.
“I don’t own that.”
“I know.”
Thomas continued.
Patricia had used Daniel’s name without his knowledge.
Again.
Her plan was not merely to convince me to give Daniel management authority.
Once authority existed, Mercer Harbor Partners would borrow against expected control of Harbor Street.
Then use those funds to buy an interest in the redevelopment.
She would profit regardless of whether Daniel stayed married to me.
“You knew?”
I asked Thomas.
“Part.”
“Did you stop her?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I still wanted Harbor Street.”
At least the Mercers were becoming consistent.
Then Thomas removed one final folder.
“The $250,000 Portwell paid Daniel?”
“Yes?”
“Patricia arranged it.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
“She told Victor Lang you needed to be financially committed.”
Daniel looked physically ill.
Thomas continued:
“She knew once you took money, you would be afraid to tell Claire anything.”
A leash.
Patricia did not simply need Daniel’s loyalty.
She needed his guilt.
That explained why she kept pushing after he began hesitating.
Then I found another transfer.
$400,000 from Portwell.
Recipient:
Mercer Harbor Partners.
Two weeks before my wedding.
“What was this?”
Thomas stared at Patricia’s company name.
“Advance fee.”
“For what?”
“Closing Harbor Street within ninety days of your marriage.”
May you like
My wedding had never been the finish line.
It was the beginning of a ninety-day countdown.
