Chapter twenty-six
Arthur
The alert comes in while I'm reviewing quarterly projections.
A flag from my communications team, marked "monitoring escalation." That usually means it's flagging an annoyance.
When I click on it, a podcast clip loads.
Lindsay's mother is speaking.
She's animated. Emotional. She talks about how everything changed after the lottery. How her daughter doesn't call her anymore. How suddenly there are layers—assistants, schedules, security.
Then she laughs and adds, "And now there's this billionaire. Did you know he was her boss? I mean—of course that raises questions."
The hosts murmur sympathetically.
I feel my jaw set.
The clip runs longer than it should before I realize I haven’t moved. Haven't registered a word in the past thirty seconds.
I've heard this narrative before—applied to acquisitions, partnerships, leadership changes. The suggestion that control is the only possible motivation.
I close the player, then reopen it.
This isn't business. This is Lindsay.
And the usual levers don’t apply.
I close the file and press the intercom.
"Get me on the phone with ERS."
Within minutes, they're both Marissa, ERS's PR specialist and George their data analyst are on the line.
"I assume you've seen it," Marissa says, her voice steady.
"Yes," I reply. "Assessment?"
"The clip is spreading faster than expected," George says. "Not on major networks yet, but trending on social platforms. The engagement metrics suggest heightened emotional response."
I absorb this without reaction. "Projection?"
"Lindsay's mother has limited reach on her own," Marissa explains. "But the podcast creates a vector for wider distribution. We're seeing the story reframed in more problematic ways as it travels."
"Specifics," I demand.
George clears his throat. "Initial shares use terms like 'concerning' and 'questionable.' Subsequent shares are escalating to 'controlling' and 'isolating.' Classic telephone effect."
They are not true, but they're plausible.
Plausibility is harder to dismantle than a simple accusation.
"Has Lindsay been notified?"
"Yes," Marissa confirms. "Someone spoke with her this morning."
I end the call without further discussion.
