He wandered into Campbell’s office and around the desk. If he left this to one side of the keyboard, then Campbell would find it when he returned. His hand hovered over the keyboard as he surveyed the reception area. He was alone.
Mark tapped the keyboard and the screen woke up. An email was open. An interesting email.
The boardroom doors closed behind Joni. She’d offered to stay to takes notes after setting up a pot of coffee and selection of pastries, but Ellie wanted this meeting off the record.
She’d taken Dad’s spot at the head of the table for no reason other than to best see the others’ faces. Campbell was to her left, with Paul beside him.
On her right, Dennis tapped the table impatiently, his chair pushed back and one ankle crossed over a knee. At first, he’d refused to attend. It was a waste of his time. Ellie had shrugged and said fine, she’d meet with the other two. Yet, here he was.
“Thanks for attending on short notice. I know you are all worried about Dad and I’m hoping we can agree to work together to find him.”
“Why is Dekeles here?” Dennis stared at Paul, who winked at him. Ellie ignored them both.
“The police aren’t convinced Dad is more than off on some jaunt. There’s no evidence he was kidnapped, or any one of a number of things. But we all know he would never just disappear like that!”
“Exactly, Ellie.” Campbell said. “Even if he wanted a break, he’d have let us know.”
“Which brings me to a question. Who would benefit from Dad disappearing?”
“Are you some sort of detective now?” Dennis checked his watch. “Get to the point.”
How can you be so cold? Just like Meredith.
“Very well.” Ellie said. “Campbell mentioned there is a major project underway, one Dad would need to be involved with. What is it?”
“It isn’t for Dekeles to know so off you go, sunshine.”
“Paul is a necessary part of our planning to find Dad. He’s hardly going to run off and share company information.”
“You sure about that, Ellie?”
“I can come back if you want.” Paul pushed his chair back. “Jack is more important than whatever’s going on with this...joker.”
Dennis grinned. “That the best you can do?”
“Do either of you actually care about Dad?” Disappointed, Ellie shook her head.
With a sigh, Dennis uncrossed his legs and pulled his chair in. “Wind farm.”
“Sorry?”
“We’re working with a private developer for a wind farm. They needed investors and we’ve been finding them.”
“Sounds straightforward. Would Dad even need to be involved?” A look passed between Dennis and Campbell. Something wasn’t right. “So, what’s the issue?”
Campbell cleared his throat. “Just the timing. The funding is in place, but the grid, where the farm will connect to send power to the provider, well, that’s a problem. Our systems aren’t set up for the volume of wind and solar farms, not in some regions, so it is either a case of get in early or look at a lot more cost by running your own storage as well.”
“So, we’re trying to get in first?”
Again, the look between the men
“Who will this affect?” Paul asked Campbell.
“Affect? Wind farms are a good thing.”
“So, Jack is all for it?”
“What’s your point, Dekeles?” Dennis leaned toward him. “Mister business expert.”
“You didn’t seem all that happy about it at the board meeting. Just saying.”
“Dennis?”
“Ellie, I have no idea what he’s on about. Jack signed off on it ages ago. It has nothing to do with him disappearing, and I thought that is what you wanted to talk about.”
“It is. But if this deal put him at risk—”
“No risk, Ellie. Straightforward, as you suggested.” Campbell interrupted. “Should we discuss the running of Bannerman Wealth Group while he is…wherever he is?”
“Something’s not adding up, Paul.”
Ellie and Paul were in the elevator, heading down to the foyer. Dennis was now the interim CEO, based on chain of command and long held instructions from Jack, in the event of death or disablement, which were verified by Campbell.
“You mean about the wind farm? Yeah. Those two know something they’re not sharing and I’m surprised at Campbell but expect it from Connor…sorry.”
“I wish you two would get along. Or act like adults at least. Sorry. Not sorry.” Ellie was over it. Her voice was calm but she was one more problem away from screaming.
The doors whooshed open and Paul followed Ellie into the foyer. “Are you walking?”
“I’m going home to get my car then visit Meredith. And no, I don’t need company.”
“I’ll pull my head in. About Dennis.”
“Good. This is difficult enough.” They stopped just inside the front doors. Ellie stared up at Paul. “Have you looked for footage from the day Dad disappeared? To see if anyone was with him?”
“He left alone. I looked.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Pity there’s no cameras at that marina. Can’t understand it actually.”
“Only a handful of boats tie up there. Some of their owners are obsessively private.”
“Still. Would have helped.”
People hurried in and out of the building. Ellie looked past Paul to reception, to the painting of the yacht on the sea. How wonderful to simply take Sea Angel and go. Follow the trade winds, sea mist on her lips. Find Gabi, wherever she might be in the world right now and let her take some of the burden. She always knew the right words and besides, she should know about her ex-husband. Same as Michael needs to know.
“Ellie?”
No sea mists. Not until she found Dad.
“What if I bring dinner over later? We can compare notes and plan what comes next.” Paul put his hand on her arm.
“Oh. Um, no, but thanks. I have no idea what I’m doing later.”
“Well, text if you change your mind. Or we could meet somewhere.”
“We did for breakfast. And it was nice, thanks.” Ellie extracted her arm with a small smile. “I have to get going.”
She didn’t walk home but grabbed a tram. Hanging onto a rail as it bumped and lurched across other tracks and around corners, Ellie drifted back to the earlier image of a blue-green sea and salty winds.
Find Dad.
Then she’d take a proper break. Run away with the yacht for a while. Sort out her future as a single woman.
In minutes she was home, stopping long enough to collect car keys.
The gates to Jack’s house were open. Ellie nosed her car around the fountain in the middle of the driveway and parked facing back out. In her rear-view mirror, she saw the curtains move in the living room. By the time she reached the front door, Meredith had flung it open. Ellie steeled herself for the expected cold reception.
“I’m so glad you’ve come.” Meredith threw her arms around Ellie. Unlike the last two visits, she didn’t reek of alcohol and the embrace was heartfelt. “Please come in.”