He pulled a leather-bound address book from his coat pocket.

“I have the personal numbers of the three legacy board directors,” he said.

“They served with our father.”

“They will not ignore a call from the majority shareholder.”

Mrs. Ramirez brought me a cup of black coffee, the steam rising in thin gray curls.

“Drink this,” she whispered.

“You need your mind sharp.”

I took a sip of the bitter, hot liquid.

“Let’s start dialing,” I said.

I took Julian’s cell phone and dialed the first number.

Arthur Pendelton had been my father’s closest associate for thirty years.

The phone rang four times before a gravelly voice answered.

“Arthur, it’s Grace,” I said.

“Grace?” he asked, his voice cracking with surprise.

“We were told you were in a private medical facility in Wisconsin.”

“Ethan lied to you, Arthur,” I said.

“I am in Lake Forest, and I am perfectly well.”

“Ethan is trying to lock me out of the company my father and I built.”

“I am calling an emergency board meeting for nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”

“Grace, this is highly irregular,” Arthur said.