Chapter 9 - The Enemy Behind the Boardroom
The name came out two days later.
Gavin Mercer.
Chief Financial Officer of McGregor Holdings.
Alistair’s oldest business partner.
His friend for nearly twenty years.
The man who had stood beside him at Fiona’s funeral.
The man who had helped arrange Finley’s medical trust after she died.
Sarah was in the hospital cafeteria when Alistair received Detective Blake’s call.
She saw his face change before she heard the name.
“No,” he said.
The word was quiet.
Not angry.
Not disbelieving.
Wounded.
Detective Blake spoke through the phone, her voice faint but urgent.
“We recovered correspondence between Mercer, Malcolm Thompson, Dr. Evans, and Brenda. Mercer authorized a series of concealed transfers from Finley’s trust.”
Alistair stared through the cafeteria window.
“Why?”
“We believe the trust was being used as a source of hidden capital. Mercer was diverting money through medical vendors and shell organizations. As long as Finley appeared severely ill, no one questioned the ongoing expenses.”
Sarah sat down slowly.
“But two million pounds isn’t enough to risk a child’s life,” Alistair said.
Detective Blake’s pause was too long.
“There is more,” she said. “Mercer had another motive.”
Alistair closed his eyes.
“What?”
“According to messages from Malcolm Thompson, Fiona McGregor had intended to transfer a significant percentage of her shares in McGregor Holdings into a protected inheritance for Finley. If Finley died before adulthood, those shares would return to the corporate holding structure.”
Sarah’s blood ran cold.
“And Gavin controlled that structure,” Alistair said.
“Yes.”
For a moment, Alistair said nothing.
Then his voice became ice.
“Where is he?”
“We are looking for him. His home is empty. His office has been cleared.”
The call ended.
Sarah touched Alistair’s arm.
He looked at her, but his eyes were somewhere far away.
“Gavin was my best friend,” he said.
“I’m sorry.”
“He knew Fiona. He held Finley when he was born.” His mouth twisted. “He told me I was doing the right thing when I stopped asking questions.”
Sarah did not know what to say.
Betrayal from a stranger hurt.
Betrayal from family remade the world.
That night, Alistair ordered additional security around the hospital and the estate.
No one entered Finley’s room without approval.
No phone calls were put through without screening.
No visitor was allowed near him.
Finley noticed.
“Why are there more guards?” he asked Sarah.
“Your dad wants everyone to be extra careful.”
“Because of Brenda?”
“Partly.”
“Is she going to come back?”
Sarah sat beside him.
“No.”
He watched her carefully.
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
It was not a promise Sarah made lightly.
The next day, Finley’s shoulder was healing well enough for Dr. Vale to approve gentle standing exercises.
The therapy room at the hospital had wide windows and bright murals painted on the walls. Finley wore his astronaut socks again, though one was pulled over the edge of his sling.
Tessa stood near the parallel bars.
“Only a little today,” she said. “We are not trying to beat records.”
Finley nodded.
Sarah stood on one side.
Alistair stood on the other.
Finley gripped the bars.
His legs trembled immediately.
His face tightened.
“I don’t know,” he whispered.
“You don’t have to know,” Sarah said. “You only have to try.”
He looked down.
Then he lifted his right foot.
One inch.
Two.
He placed it carefully in front of him.
“Good,” Tessa said. “That’s perfect.”
Finley’s breathing quickened.
Then he moved the left foot.
One step.
He stopped.
His eyes widened.
“I’m standing.”
“Yes,” Alistair said.
“I’m really standing.”
“Yes, son.”
Finley laughed.
It was not a big laugh.
It was shaky and surprised, as if joy itself had caught him off guard.
Then he took another step.
And another.
Three steps.
Not six.
Not a record.
But this time, he did not collapse.
Sarah covered her mouth.
Alistair’s eyes filled.
Finley looked at them both.
“Did you see?”
“We saw,” Sarah whispered.
But as Finley smiled, a nurse rushed into the room.
“Mr. McGregor,” she said. “There’s been a security breach.”
Alistair’s body went rigid.
“What happened?”
The nurse looked terrified.
“A man attempted to enter the pediatric wing using forged credentials. He was stopped before reaching this floor.”
Daniel’s voice came through Alistair’s phone.
“Sir, it’s Mercer.”
“Where is he?”
“Gone. But he left something.”
Minutes later, Daniel arrived carrying a white envelope.
On the front, written in black ink, were four words:
THE BOY IS NOT SAFE.
Inside was a photograph.
It showed Finley in the hospital therapy room.
Taken that morning.
Taken from inside the building.
Sarah felt the floor vanish beneath her.
Mercer had been watching.
May you like
And he knew that Finley was getting stronger.
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