Chapter 2: Six Months of Silence
Darren didn’t run.
That was what bothered Marcus most.
He simply stood there, one hand resting on the back of a lobby chair, wearing the same calm expression he used whenever something went wrong.
“What seems to be the problem?”” Darren asked.
Marcus pointed at the payroll computer.
“Explain Walter’s pay.””
Darren glanced toward Walter.
Walter lowered his eyes.
Darren sighed.
“Walter, did you bring this to Mr. Reed?””
“I didn’t bring anything,” Walter said.
Marcus stepped between them.
“I found it.””
Darren looked at him.
“Found what?””
Marcus turned the monitor around.
“Six months of payroll records.””
Darren leaned closer.
“Okay.””
“Three thousand authorized.””
“Yes.””
“Fifteen hundred deposited.””
Darren nodded.
“Administrative deductions.””
Marcus held his gaze.
“Into an account connected to your administrative profile?””
Darren’s face remained still.
“Those are internal accounting procedures.””
“Then why doesn’t Walter know about them?””
Darren shrugged.
“He may not understand the way our payroll system categorizes deductions.””
Walter looked up.
“I understand fifteen hundred missing from my bank account.””
Darren’s eyes sharpened.
“Walter, nobody is taking anything from you.””
Walter gave a bitter laugh.
“My bank says different.””
Marcus opened the first payment record again.
“Who created the adjustment?””
Darren folded his arms.
“I’d have to check.””
“You’re the security manager.””
“Yes.””
“You approve security payroll.””
“I oversee the department.””
“So you should know.””
Darren stared at the screen.
“Mr. Reed, you’re making this sound suspicious when it isn’t.””
Marcus leaned forward.
“I’m not making anything sound suspicious.””
He pointed at the screen.
“The numbers are doing that themselves.””
Walter remained silent.
Marcus opened another document.
“Show me the account.””
Darren frowned.
“Which account?””
“The one receiving Walter’s money.””
Darren’s expression hardened.
“That’s confidential banking information.””
“It belongs to my employee.””
“And payroll is handled by administration.””
Marcus slowly smiled.
“Interesting.””
Darren said nothing.
Marcus clicked through the records.
“Who has access to payroll adjustments?””
“Payroll staff.””
“Names.””
“I don’t have that list memorized.””
“You don’t need to memorize it. You need to give it to me.””
Darren took a sip of coffee.
“This conversation is getting unnecessarily aggressive.””
Walter looked at Marcus.
Marcus noticed something then.
Walter was trembling.
Not dramatically.
Just enough for the paper in his hand to shake.
Marcus turned to him.
“How much have you been making each month after bills?””
Walter hesitated.
“About two hundred left.””
Marcus’s eyebrows rose.
“Two hundred?””
Walter nodded.
“Sometimes less.””
“What about your rent?””
“I’m behind.””
“How far?””
Walter stared at the floor.
“Three months.””
Marcus looked at Darren.
Darren didn’t react.
That silence told Marcus more than any explanation could.
Marcus turned back to Walter.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Walter’s voice cracked.
“Because I didn’t think you’d believe me.””
Marcus went quiet.
Walter continued.
“I kept thinking maybe I was misunderstanding something. Then my landlord started calling. My electricity almost got shut off.””
Darren finally spoke.
“Walter, if you were having financial problems, you should have gone through HR.””
Walter looked at him.
“I did.””
Darren blinked.
“What?””
“I asked you.””
Marcus turned sharply.
“When?””
Walter rubbed his thumb across the edge of the pay statement.
“Three months ago.””
Darren’s voice became colder.
“I don’t remember that.””
“You told me to be patient.””
“I speak to dozens of employees.””
“You told me payroll would fix itself.””
Darren shook his head.
“That’s not what I said.””
Walter stared at him.
“You said, ‘You should be grateful you still have a paycheck.’”
Darren’s jaw tightened.
“I never said that.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“You’re sure?””
“Yes.””
Marcus pulled out his phone.
“Good.””
Darren looked at the phone.
“Why?””
“Because we’re going to find out.””
Marcus opened the payroll portal and began taking screenshots.
Darren reached toward the keyboard.
Marcus immediately blocked his hand.
“Don’t.””
Darren stopped.
“I was just going to show you where the deduction is recorded.””
“I can see it.””
“You’re misunderstanding the system.””
“Then explain it.””
Darren’s eyes flicked toward the lobby.
Several employees were beginning to notice the tension.
Darren lowered his voice.
“Not here.””
Marcus nodded.
“Fine.””
He pointed toward the conference room.
“Inside.””
Walter stood.
Darren looked at him.
“You stay here.””
Marcus turned.
“No.””
Darren frowned.
“Walter doesn’t need to be involved in administrative discussions.””
Marcus opened the conference room door.
“He absolutely does.””
They entered.
Marcus placed the pay statement on the table.
Darren remained standing.
“Sit.””
Darren slowly sat.
Marcus opened six payroll records on his laptop.
“Let’s start with January.””
He turned the screen.
“Three thousand.””
Darren nodded.
“Correct.””
“Fifteen hundred deposited.””
“Yes.””
“Where did the other fifteen hundred go?””
“Administrative allocation.””
“To whom?””
Darren looked at him.
“I’d need to verify.””
Marcus opened February.
Same numbers.
Then March.
April.
May.
June.
Every month.
Fifteen hundred missing.
Walter sat at the far end of the table, staring at the screen.
Marcus looked at Darren.
“Six months.””
Darren exhaled.
“You’re drawing conclusions before reviewing the full records.””
“I reviewed the full records.””
“You reviewed the payroll portal.””
“And the payment breakdown.””
“Not the bank reconciliation.””
Marcus leaned back.
“Then bring it.””
Darren paused.
Marcus watched him carefully.
“Bring me the bank reconciliation.””
Darren said nothing.
“Now.””
Darren slowly reached for his phone.
“I’ll call accounting.””
“Do that.””
Darren stepped into the hallway.
Marcus watched through the glass.
Darren turned his back.
His phone came to his ear.
He spoke for several seconds.
Then he looked over his shoulder.
Their eyes met.
Darren quickly looked away.
Walter whispered, “He knows.””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
Walter’s hands were clasped tightly together.
“He knows you found it.””
Marcus looked toward the glass.
Darren was still on the phone.
Walter swallowed.
“There’s something else.””
Marcus sat forward.
“What?””
Walter reached into his pocket and pulled out his personal phone.
“I kept the text.””
“What text?””
“The one Darren sent me.””
Walter unlocked the screen.
He scrolled.
Then stopped.
Marcus took the phone.
The message was six months old.
From Darren.
*Send me the verification code when it comes through. Payroll needs it to complete your deposit setup.*
Marcus stared at it.
“Did you send him the code?””
Walter nodded.
“I thought it was legitimate.””
Marcus handed the phone back.
“Did you receive any other messages?””
Walter’s thumb moved.
“One.””
He opened it.
Marcus read the message.
*Don’t discuss payroll adjustments with anyone. It can delay your payment.*
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“Who sent that?””
Walter looked at him.
“Darren.””
The conference room door opened.
Darren stepped inside.
He was no longer holding his coffee.
“Mr. Reed,” he said quietly, “we need to talk.””
Marcus stood.
“We are talking.””
Darren closed the door behind him.
“No.””
He looked directly at Walter.
“We need to talk without him.””
Marcus stared at Darren.
“Without Walter?””
Darren nodded.
“Yes.””
Marcus folded his arms.
“Why?””
Darren’s face went pale.
“Because Walter isn’t the only guard affected.””
Marcus froze.
Walter slowly lifted his head.
“What did you say?””
Darren realized too late that he had said too much.
Marcus took one step forward.
“How many?””
Darren said nothing.
Marcus’s voice dropped.
“How many guards are missing money?””
Darren’s phone suddenly vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
One notification.
Then another.
Then another.
His face drained of color.
Marcus noticed.
“Who’s texting you?””
Darren locked the phone.
“Nobody.””
Marcus held out his hand.
“Give me the phone.””
Darren backed away.
May you like
And that was when Marcus understood.
Whatever was on that phone was bigger than Walter’s missing paycheck.