Chapter 5: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
I didn't sleep.
At 5:30 a.m., I was sitting in my car outside Bennett Capital's headquarters, listening to the rain strike the windshield.
The call had lasted eleven seconds.
Eleven seconds had been enough to destroy everything I thought I knew.
I replayed it repeatedly.
The voice.
The pause.
The way he said my name.
It was Andrew.
I knew it.
But I also knew grief could make people hear things that weren't there.
At 5:58, Renee arrived.
She opened the passenger door and placed her briefcase on the seat.
“You look terrible,” she said.
“Good morning to you too.””
She studied my face.
“Did you get any sleep?””
“No.””
“Did you call the number back?””
“It was blocked.””
“Did you tell anyone about the call?””
“Only you.””
Renee nodded.
“Good. Let's go inside.””
We entered through the underground parking garage.
The security team had already locked down the executive floor.
Two employees were standing near the elevators.
One of them, David, our head of corporate security, approached us.
“Mrs. Carter, we've secured the financial servers. No transfers have been completed.””
“Good. Has anyone accessed Andrew's old credentials?””
David looked uncomfortable.
“Yes.””
“When?””
“Three days ago.””
Renee stopped walking.
“Who?””
“Martin Hale's executive assistant submitted the request.””
My stomach tightened.
“Martin authorized it?””
“According to the system, yes.””
We entered the conference room.
Martin was already waiting.
He was a silver-haired man with expensive glasses and a habit of speaking slowly, as if every sentence deserved to be remembered.
He stood when he saw me.
“Sophia. I'm glad you're here.””
I didn't sit.
“Did you reactivate Andrew's security credentials?””
His expression barely changed.
“I beg your pardon?””
“Someone used his credentials three days ago.””
Martin glanced at Renee.
“That's a serious accusation.””
“It's a serious situation.””
He folded his hands.
“Andrew's old credentials were retained for archival purposes. It is possible the system generated an automatic authorization.””
David shook his head.
“That isn't possible. Every reactivation requires manual approval.””
Martin turned toward him.
“Then someone in your department made a mistake.””
David didn't respond.
I placed Andrew's letter on the table.
Martin's eyes moved across the handwriting.
For a fraction of a second, his face changed.
Then he smiled.
“What's this?””
“A letter from my brother.””
“How unfortunate that you found it now.””
I stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Martin adjusted his glasses.
“Grief can make people see connections where none exist. Andrew's death was a terrible tragedy, but we must not allow it to interfere with business decisions.””
I stepped closer.
“Don't talk about my brother as if you knew him better than I did.””
He lowered his eyes.
“Of course.””
Renee opened her briefcase.
“Martin, we need your complete cooperation with the investigation. That includes all records related to Northbridge Holdings.””
His hand stopped moving.
Only for a second.
But I noticed.
“Northbridge?”” he asked.
“Yes.””
“I've never heard of it.””
Renee slid a document across the table.
“Then you'll have no problem explaining why your executive credentials approved three payments to that company.””
Martin looked at the document.
His face went pale.
“I'll need to review this with my department.””
“You'll review it with our forensic accountants,” Renee replied.
He stood.
“This meeting is becoming inappropriate.””
I pointed toward the chair.
“Sit down.””
Martin stared at me.
I had never spoken to him that way before.
Perhaps he finally understood that the girl he had known since childhood was no longer willing to be managed.
He sat.
David stepped forward.
“Martin, your access has been temporarily suspended pending investigation.””
Martin turned sharply.
“You cannot do that!””
“I can,” I said.
“And I just did.””
He gathered his papers with trembling hands.
As he reached the door, he looked back.
“You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Sophia.””
I held his gaze.
“Then explain it.””
He said nothing.
The door closed behind him.
Renee exhaled.
“That was interesting.””
“Because he knew about Northbridge?””
“Because he didn't ask how we discovered the payments. He asked who had access to the company.””
I looked at David.
“Find out where Martin is going. Quietly.””
David nodded and left.
Renee picked up Andrew's letter.
“There's another issue.””
“What?””
“The caller.””
I stared at her.
“How do you know about that?””
She looked directly at me.
“Because you told me.””
I froze.
I hadn't.
I was certain I hadn't.
I had told her about the letter.
I had told her about the unknown call.
Had I?
My mind raced.
“Renee, I didn't tell you someone called.””
She went still.
For the first time since I had known her, she looked genuinely surprised.
Then she closed the folder.
“Perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private.””
I stepped backward.
“Why did you say that?””
“Sophia, you're exhausted.””
“Why did you know about the call?””
She stood.
“Because the security team flagged an incoming call to your personal number last night.””
I stared at her.
“You monitor my phone?””
“Your corporate device is connected to our security system.””
“That was my personal phone.””
She didn't answer.
I looked toward the glass wall.
Two security officers stood outside.
I suddenly felt trapped.
“Renee, I want to see the original power of attorney.””
“Of course.””
“Now.””
She opened her briefcase and removed a document.
I examined the signature.
Andrew's name.
My name.
The company seal.
Then I noticed the witness section.
One signature belonged to Martin Hale.
The other belonged to Renee Mitchell.
My attorney.
My closest professional adviser.
The woman who had helped me revoke Daniel's access.
I looked up.
“Why is your signature here?””
Renee's expression became unreadable.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
She took a breath.
“Andrew asked me to prepare the document before he died.””
I shook my head.
“Prepare a power of attorney transferring my shares?””
“No. It was supposed to be a temporary authorization in case you became incapacitated.””
“Why would Andrew request that?””
“He was concerned about your safety.””
I stared at the document.
“And you witnessed it?””
“Yes.””
“Did I sign it?””
“No.””
The room seemed to shrink.
“Then why does it have my signature?””
Renee didn't answer.
I stepped away from the table.
“Who forged it?””
She looked toward the door.
Then back at me.
“Daniel.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.””
But Renee shook her head.
“No, Sophia. Daniel didn't create the original document.””
She opened another folder.
Inside was a photograph of Andrew standing beside a man outside a private airport.
The photograph was dated six weeks before his supposed death.
I recognized the man standing beside my brother.
Martin Hale.
But it wasn't the photograph that frightened me.
It was the handwritten note beneath it.
*Northbridge transfer. Final authorization required.*
Renee placed another sheet beside it.
It was an old insurance document.
Andrew's life insurance policy.
The beneficiary was not me.
It was a company called Northbridge Holdings.
I looked at Renee.
“Who arranged this policy?””
She swallowed.
“Martin.””
“And who approved it?””
Renee's voice dropped.
“Andrew himself.””
My knees weakened.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message appeared from the same unknown number.
*Sophia, I'm alive. But if you want to know why I disappeared, come alone to the old family boathouse at six tonight.*
May you like
A second message followed.
*And don't bring Renee.*
