The three names glowing on Clare’s phone belonged to the board chair, the head of the audit committee, and Morrison and Associates’ outside counsel.
Nolan recognized them immediately.
The color drained from his face, but he recovered quickly enough to lower his phone and replace surprise with indignation.
“You scheduled a board call during the retreat?” he asked.
Clare did not look away from him.
“The call was scheduled after I read Ethan’s report.
What happened here gave us something additional to discuss.”
A woman’s voice came through the speaker.
“Clare, are Ethan Brooks and Nolan Pierce both present?”
“Yes.”
“Then proceed.”
The laughter around us disappeared.
Coworkers who had been pretending not to watch now stood frozen near the volleyball net and folding tables.
Lily pressed against my side and whispered, “Daddy, are you in trouble?”
I crouched without taking my eyes off Nolan.
“No, sweetheart.
Some grown-ups are talking about work.
Stay under the umbrella for me.”
She nodded, though her worried expression told me she did not believe it was that simple.
Nolan took two steps toward Clare.
“Whatever Brooks told you, this is not the place to discuss it.”
“You seemed comfortable discussing his fitness for leadership in front of everyone,” Clare replied.
“You also seemed comfortable attempting to record me without consent.”
“Attempting?” Nolan gave a sharp laugh.
“I was holding my phone.
There’s no video.”
Clare extended her hand.
“Then unlock it and show me.”
He put the phone behind his back.
That small movement changed the atmosphere more than any confession could have.
Clare’s eyes moved from the hidden phone to the silent employees behind him.
“Did anyone see Mr.
Pierce recording?”
At first, nobody spoke.
The waves folded onto the shore.
A plastic cup rolled through the sand.
Somewhere farther down the beach, a child shouted with delight, unaware that a career was beginning to collapse near our umbrella.
Then one of the junior analysts raised her hand.
“I heard the camera sound,” she said.
“His phone was pointed at you.”
Another coworker nodded.
“I saw it too.”
Nolan spun toward them.
“You saw me holding a phone.
Don’t turn this into something it wasn’t.”
The board chair’s voice came from the speaker.
“Mr.
Pierce, hand the device to Ms.
Morgan.”
“You don’t have the authority to search my personal phone.”
Outside counsel answered calmly.
“Nobody has proposed a search.
You have been asked to preserve potential evidence related to workplace misconduct.
Do not delete, transmit, or alter any file created during this incident.”
Nolan’s thumb stopped moving against the side of the phone.
Clare noticed.
