Board does not need operational detail unless material.
The definition of material was now being decided by people Grant no longer controlled.
Dana asked to speak.
Margaret allowed it.
Dana placed three printed emails on the table.
“I raised concerns.”
Grant looked at her.
She did not look back.
“I did not escalate outside management after those concerns were rejected.”
“Why?”
Dana’s voice remained steady.
“Because I was afraid of losing my position.”
Nobody rescued her from the admission.
She did not ask them to.
Then she produced her handwritten meeting notes from November.
Margaret read one line.
Stopped.
“Did Mr. Worthington say this?”
Dana nodded.
Margaret read it aloud.
“Employees will take whatever keeps their jobs.”
The room went completely still.
Grant leaned forward.
“That was taken out of context.”
“What was the context?” Margaret asked.
“We were discussing workforce stability.”
Dana said:
“We were discussing whether operational employees would object to certificates instead of wages.”
Grant turned.
“You are reconstructing a casual remark.”
Dana met his eyes for the first time.
“I wrote it down immediately after the meeting.”
Again, paper.
Again, a witness.
The board excused Grant, Preston, and Dana separately for portions of the deliberation.
Evan remained only long enough to establish events.
Near the end of his time, Margaret asked one final question.
“Mr. Ror, why did you reject the $10,000 settlement?”
Grant looked up.
Evan glanced toward him.
Then back at Margaret.
“Because it covered me.”
“You wanted more money?”
“No.”
“Then explain.”
Evan thought about Curtis.