Isabel shot a questioning glance at Andy, but he seemed just as surprised by Howard's sudden appearance as she was. Howard crossed the conference, coming to stand beside her chair. He rested one longhand on the back of her chair and glared at the managers.
"Howard," she said, hating how weak and young her voice suddenly sounded. "What are you doing here?"
"I came here to check up on my investment," he said.
"I see," she replied. "Perhaps you'd like to speak to Andy alone?"
"I'm much more interested in sitting in on this meeting," he said. "Would anyone like to fill me in on what's been happening?"
A long, tense silence filled the conference room. The managers looked down at their files or the table, trying to avoid Howard's icy glare.
"We were just discussing the future of the c
