He sounded energized, his usual manic confidence returning.

I could hear the background noise of traffic on his end. He was in his car.

“I showed her,” I said.

“Good,” Victor said. “Then Evelyn knows what happens if she presents that audit report to the board today.”

“You’re destroying the company, Victor,” I said.

“I built the company,” Victor said. “If I’m out, the company is out.”

“Nathan is your friend,” I said. “He helped you build it.”

“Nathan should have thought about that before he decided to play the saint,” Victor said.

“Here is how this works, Evelyn. Are you listening?”

Evelyn did not answer immediately. She pressed the mute button on her tablet first, then looked at the phone.

“I am listening, Victor,” Evelyn said.

“You tell the board that the internal audit is inconclusive,” Victor said.

“You tell them my suspension is lifted pending further review.”

“You authorize the release of my deferred compensation package to my personal account by five o’clock today.”

“And if we don’t?” Evelyn asked.

“Then a copy of the original 2016 Redmond report goes to the Seattle Times and the EPA regional office at five-fifteen,” Victor said.