“You knew he was trying to squeeze me out, Caleb,” I said, my voice steady.

“You signed off on the revised marketing budget that took my name off the masthead.”

Caleb winced slightly, the skin around his eyes tightening.

“We were advised it was a standard restructuring,” Caleb said.

“We were lied to,” he added, casting a dark look at Grant.

Grant took a step toward Caleb.

“Caleb, we can patch this,” Grant said, his tone pleading now.

“We have the concrete poured for Phase One.”

“The buyers are waiting.”

“If we halt now, we lose the interest rate lock from the state pension fund.”

Caleb pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped the screen.

“The pension fund is already calling my office, Grant,” Caleb said.

“The rumors of the forgery investigation leaked to the local business journal twenty minutes ago.”

“They are invoking the morality clause in the funding agreement.”

Grant’s mouth open, but no sound came out.

“What?” Grant finally managed to say.

“They are pulling the capital,” Caleb said.

“And without their sixty million, the bank will call the construction loan.”