Chapter 6 - THE PHOTOGRAPH
Clare stared at the photograph.
Her blood ran cold.
"Who took that?"
"We don't know."
Daniel handed it to her.
The photograph had been taken from across the street.
Clare could see herself smiling.
Lily was beside her.
Daniel stood near the SUV.
Someone had been watching them.
Watching her daughter.
Clare's fear finally broke through.
"Daniel..."
"I know."
"What do they want?"
"I don't know."
"Why us?"
Daniel looked at the photograph.
"Because of me."
Clare shook her head.
"No. Don't say that."
"It's true."
"You said the payroll investigation involved twenty-seven people."
"It does."
"Then why photograph Lily?"
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Because they know you'll listen if they threaten what matters to you."
Clare felt tears burn her eyes.
"I'm not letting anyone hurt my daughter."
"You won't."
"You can't promise that."
"No."
His honesty hurt more than a false promise would have.
"But I can promise you something else."
"What?"
"I won't let you face this alone."
The next morning Daniel moved Clare and Lily temporarily into a secure guesthouse owned by Mercer Home and Living.
Clare hated the idea.
"I don't need protection."
Daniel looked at her.
"You do."
"I don't want to owe you anything."
"You don't."
"I don't want you rescuing me."
"I'm not rescuing you."
"Then what are you doing?"
He paused.
"Standing beside you."
Clare didn't know what to say.
That afternoon, Daniel discovered something worse.
Someone had accessed Clare's personnel file at 2:13 a.m.
The access code belonged to a senior corporate executive.
His name was Victor Hale.
Chief Financial Officer.
Daniel's oldest friend.
And the man who had personally approved the payroll restructuring six years earlier.
Daniel stared at the screen.
"No."
His security director asked:
"Sir?"
Daniel shook his head.
"Victor wouldn't do this."
But another file opened.
Bank transfers.
Millions of dollars.
Shell companies.
Offshore accounts.
And one repeated reference:
PROJECT BENNETT.
Daniel's face went pale.
Clare's name was buried inside hundreds of financial records.
May you like
She wasn't just one employee.
She was the key.
