Chapter 8 - The Woman Mary Trusted
Rebecca Whitmore arrived at the conference room at 8:14 p.m.
She was fifty-six and impeccably dressed.
She hugged Mary immediately.
“My God.”
Mary remained still.
Rebecca pulled back.
“I heard what happened.”
“Which part?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“The affair.”
Mary watched her carefully.
Not Project Bride.
Not Thomas.
Only the affair.
Perhaps she genuinely knew nothing.
Perhaps she knew everything.
Rebecca touched Mary’s arm.
“Come home with me.”
Mary stepped away.
“I need to ask you something.”
Rebecca noticed Daniel.
Then Robert.
Then Thomas.
Her expression changed slightly.
“What is he doing here?”
Thomas smiled.
“Good evening, Rebecca.”
She ignored him.
Mary spoke.
“Did you know about Project Bride?”
Rebecca frowned.
“What?”
Mary watched every detail of her reaction.
There was genuine confusion.
Or excellent acting.
Daniel slid the memo toward her.
Rebecca read the title.
Her face hardened.
“This is disgusting.”
Thomas leaned against the wall.
“She deserves an award.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“What are you accusing me of?”
Thomas tossed a flash drive onto the table.
“This.”
Daniel picked it up.
“What is it?”
“Copies of financial transfers from a Whitmore-controlled consulting account.”
Rebecca’s eyes changed.
Thomas continued.
“Six payments went to Mercer Advisory.”
Grant Mercer.
Ethan’s attorney.
Mary turned toward Rebecca.
Rebecca shook her head.
“I authorize hundreds of payments.”
“Not these.”
Thomas smiled.
“You approved them personally.”
Rebecca looked at Robert.
“That account funds confidential acquisitions.”
Robert’s voice was cold.
“Then explain the acquisition.”
Rebecca opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, Daniel’s phone rang.
He listened for several seconds.
Then he looked toward Mary.
“Someone attempted to access the Whitmore corporate archive ten minutes ago.”
Rebecca looked confused.
Thomas stopped smiling.
Daniel continued.
“The request came from this hotel.”
Robert looked toward the hallway.
“Can you locate it?”
“We already did.”
Daniel looked directly at Rebecca.
“Suite 3902.”
Rebecca’s face became pale.
Mary knew that suite.
Rebecca had booked it for the weekend.
Rebecca shook her head.
“I haven’t been upstairs since this afternoon.”
Daniel’s phone vibrated again.
He read the message.
“Security entered the room.”
Mary waited.
“They found a laptop connected to the corporate archive.”
Rebecca stared at him.
“That is not mine.”
“They also found financial records.”
“What records?”
Daniel’s expression darkened.
“Records showing transfers totaling forty-three million dollars.”
Robert stood completely still.
Mary felt a chill.
Rebecca whispered.
“Forty-three million?”
Daniel nodded.
“Missing from Whitmore Holdings.”
May you like
Thomas folded his arms.
“And now we finally know what tonight is really about.”
