Page 70 of Daddy's Game

That would be just cruel. Besides, even if Nate doesn’t always have what it takes to actually help, at least he’s been a good source of information.

A gentle, tentative rap at my door could only have been Nate.

“Come on in.”

He entered my office, a sheepish expression on his face. I thought maybe he felt bad about disturbing me.

“How’s it going, Nate? Are you staying dry out there?”

He sighed, hands fiddling with a manilla envelope in his grasp.

“Grace, I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.”

“What?”

I shook my head.

“The zoning board vote isn’t until the middle of next week. What more bad news could there possibly be?”

He sighed and took off his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“I really don’t want to be the one who has to tell you this, but…I feel like if I don’t, I’ll be making things even worse.”

I put down the pen I’d been toying with and folded my hands on the desk.

“Nate, you can tell me anything, all right? Whatever it is, we can handle it.”

He shook his head.

“I’m not so sure there’s anything I can do to help you this time, Grace. Here.”

He pushed the folder across the desk to me. I glanced at it, then back up at him.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a photo of the board of directors for Techno Global Research Institute.”

I cocked an eyebrow and then opened the folder. Inside, there sat a glossy color photo of a group of ten men and two women. All of them sat posed around a polished wooden table. A gold banner at the bottom proclaimed them the TGRIU board of directors.

“I don’t get it. I don’t recognize any of these people…”

My jaw fell open. I stared hard at the photo, but there was no mistaking the identity of the tall man standing at the far left of the group.

I checked the names printed at the bottom, just to make sure. Some people look like other people, after all…

My mouth went dry, and my heart skipped a beat when I read the man’s identity.

Brock Richards, Chief Financial Officer.

“This…this has to be a hoax, right?”

“No, I’m afraid not.”

Nate heaved a long sigh.

“It’s legit. I couldn't be more sorry. You can look up this information yourself if you wish. It’s all public domain.”

Nate stood up and cleared his throat.

---