Page 83 of Defending Love
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Mom didn’t answer the first or second time I called. Eli gave me Jack’s number. He answered right away, telling me that Mom was in physical therapy, but he’d have her call once she was done.
The entire conversation with Damien and Eli played continuously through my thoughts. Every time we made a discovery, something about it felt off. How in the world could Carol Webster be involved in planting a forged letter in Dad’s safe? Why?
My next call was to Stephen Elliott. He answered on the third ring.
“Dani, what an unexpected pleasure. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to thank you for checking on Mom. She’s lonely. Your call was nice.”
“I was going to call you about that.”
“What?” I asked.
“As you know, the Sinclair executive board will be meeting tomorrow. I checked in with Marsha to find out if she planned to vote via Zoom or proxy. She told me that you were her proxy.”
“I am. Damien and I share her POA, too.”
Stephen’s voice lowered. “I hope you’ve spoken to Marsha about Preston Ayers.”
The small hairs on the back of my neck came to attention. “I called her a little while ago to discuss him, and she is in therapy.”
“Well, she’s in favor,” Stephen said. “Preston and Derek went way back. Preston was in our fraternity at Purdue.”
“I didn’t realize that.”
“Oh yes. He has a great resume.”
“I read his CV,” I said. “Thank you for that. My question is why didn’t Dad like him?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Preston was never nominated for the board in the past when Dad was alive. I mean, if he’s such a great candidate, why wasn’t his name mentioned when Gloria resigned and Phillip was voted in?”
“I’m sure Preston was mentioned. You know he has a lot of obligations. Yes, I’m sure Derek and I spoke about him. It just wasn’t the right time. Damien agrees.”
“Damien and I spoke today.” I paused. “Stephen, did Dad…” I wasn’t sure how to phrase my question. “…was there a deal that Dad made with Preston Ayers regarding Propanolol?”
“What would make you ask that?”
“You were the head of Sinclair’s legal department at the time. It seems to me that if a deal was made, you would have been involved.”
“Propanolol has turned Sinclair around. There was the scientist…David Carter, I believe. He came to Derek. No, Damien found him. Preston wasn’t part of the university when the primary research was conducted.”
“You mentioned to me that you saw the journals in Dad’s desk drawer.”
“Yes,” he replied. “I was looking for a copy of his old will.”
“That’s what you said. Are you sure it was the drawer where you looked or Dad’s safe?”
“I couldn’t access the safe.”
“Damien could.”
“I suppose so. We weren’t all thinking straight. I hope you get ahold of Marsha and talk to her about Preston. I know she’d want you to vote her proxy for him.”
“Thank you, Stephen. I need to go.”
