Chapter 3 - The Deadline at Five
By noon, Amelia was in the limestone guesthouse behind her father’s Montecito home with the curtains closed and Richard’s access to her family-office accounts suspended.
Not frozen.
Not seized.
Simply removed where Amelia had the contractual authority to remove it.
Her father, Robert Carrington, arrived twenty minutes later wearing golf clothes and an expression Amelia recognized from childhood.
He was scared, which meant he was angry.
“You accused your husband of attempted murder.”
“He pushed me out of a helicopter.”
“Mark says he interfered with your restraint.”
“Dad.”
Robert rubbed both hands over his face.
“You understand what this does to the company if it gets out.”
Amelia stared at him.
That was his first question.
Not whether she was hurt.
Not whether the baby was safe.
The company.
Carrington Coastal Holdings employed more than eight hundred people across boutique hotels, marina properties, and residential developments from Santa Barbara to Monterey.
Robert had spent forty years protecting it.
Amelia suddenly wondered what else he had protected.
Her phone vibrated.
A message from Diane Keller, the family office controller.
CALL ME. DO NOT CALL RICHARD.
Amelia stepped onto the patio.
Diane answered immediately.
“Did you revoke his authorization?”
“Yes.”
A breath.
“Then we have a problem.”
“What kind?”
“There’s an eighty-six-million-dollar credit facility tied to Vale Meridian.”
Richard’s private investment company.
Amelia felt the muscles in her back tighten.
“What does that have to do with us?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out.”
Diane explained that a bank in Los Angeles had requested confirmation of collateral connected to three Carrington-controlled entities.
One of the confirmations carried Amelia’s digital approval.
Amelia had never seen it.
“When did they ask for verification?”
“This morning.”
“What time?”
“Eight twelve.”
Her helicopter had lifted off at 8:40.
“When do they need an answer?”
“Five.”
The Pacific shimmered beyond Robert’s eucalyptus trees.
Richard had said, By tonight, it’s mine.
Amelia had assumed he meant her inheritance.
Now she wasn’t sure.
“Diane, send me everything.”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Richard ordered the transaction folder moved out of my permissions two weeks ago.”
Amelia went still.
“Who still has access?”
May you like
Diane hesitated.
“Your father.”
