“Meaning the trust votes the shares.

And you direct the trust.” He laid his pen parallel to the edge of the page.

“Meaning you’re the controlling shareholder of this company, Miss Reyes, and you have been since Tuesday.”

Outside his window the maple had a fork in its trunk, and someone had wired that fork together years ago so it wouldn’t split.

“Charles’s instruction,” Liam said, “is for the trust to fund an employee hardship program.

Wages lost to illness.