Chapter 7: The Six Hundred Thousand Dollar Secret
Richard Carter read the email a second time.
Then he placed it carefully on the counter.
Nobody spoke.
The crystal chandeliers continued glowing above the marble floor. Somewhere in the dining room, a waiter quietly collected empty glasses. The piano player had stopped performing, leaving an uncomfortable silence hanging over the restaurant.
Richard looked at Olivia.
"Call the bank.""
Olivia immediately reached for her phone.
"Which account, sir?""
"The executive operations account. All outgoing transfers. I want everything frozen until we understand what's happening.""
Olivia nodded.
"And contact our external auditors.""
"Already on my list.""
Richard turned toward the security supervisor.
"Where is David Mercer?""
The supervisor checked his phone.
"His vehicle left the company parking garage approximately forty minutes ago.""
"Has anyone contacted him?""
"His office called. He isn't answering.""
Richard's jaw tightened.
"Find out where he went. Do not confront him. Just establish his location.""
"Understood.""
Nia stood beside the counter, holding Amara.
She looked at the email again.
"Project Carter.""
Richard nodded.
"That's what concerns me.""
"Why would David call it that?""
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"Because it suggests this wasn't simply about your report. It was planned.""
Nia glanced at Vanessa.
The woman in the fuchsia dress was sitting on a chair near the reception desk.
Her gold necklace had slipped slightly to one side. Her handbag rested on her knees, and her fingers were trembling.
For the first time, she looked less like a powerful businesswoman and more like someone who had realized she was standing in the middle of a disaster.
Nia approached her.
"Mrs. Whitmore.""
Vanessa looked up.
"What?""
"Did you know about the six hundred thousand dollars?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"I didn't know about that amount.""
"Did you receive money from David?""
Vanessa looked away.
Richard turned.
"Answer her.""
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
"Yes.""
Nia felt her stomach tighten.
"How much?""
Vanessa hesitated.
"Thirty thousand.""
Richard's expression hardened.
"For what?""
"Consulting.""
"What consulting?""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"David said he needed help keeping certain supplier relationships stable. He said there would be a management restructuring, and he wanted my company to remain involved.""
Richard stared at her.
"You were paid thirty thousand dollars to help him?""
"He said it was legitimate.""
"Did you receive an invoice?""
Vanessa nodded.
Olivia stepped forward.
"Do you still have the payment records?""
Vanessa opened her handbag and pulled out her phone.
"I can show you.""
She unlocked it and searched through her messages.
After several seconds, she found a conversation.
She handed the phone to Olivia.
The first message was from David.
The payment will arrive tomorrow. Make sure the restaurant team understands that the Carter reservation is not to be discussed.
The next message came from Vanessa.
What if the guest insists?
David's response was chilling.
Then make her uncomfortable enough to leave.
Nia stared at the screen.
Her throat tightened.
It wasn't an accident.
The insults hadn't been spontaneous.
Vanessa had been instructed to make her leave.
But why?
Richard read the message.
"Olivia, preserve this.""
"Yes, sir.""
Vanessa began crying.
"I didn't know he was trying to steal from you.""
Richard looked at her.
"But you knew he wanted my daughter removed.""
Vanessa nodded.
"I thought he was trying to protect a business arrangement.""
"By humiliating a mother holding a newborn?""
Vanessa covered her face.
"I didn't think it would become this.""
Nia's voice was quiet.
"That's the problem. You didn't think about what it would do to anyone else.""
Vanessa looked at her.
"Please, Nia. I know I made a terrible mistake.""
Nia shook her head.
"You don't know me well enough to ask me to save you.""
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
Richard turned away.
He had more pressing concerns.
Olivia returned to the documents.
"Sir, I reviewed the bank transfer records in the folder. The six hundred thousand dollars wasn't the only payment.""
Richard looked at her.
"How many?""
"Seven transfers over four months.""
"Total?""
Olivia swallowed.
"Approximately one million, two hundred and forty thousand dollars.""
Richard went still.
Nia looked at her father.
"That's more than a million.""
"I heard her.""
His voice was unusually quiet.
He took a breath.
"Where did the money go?""
Olivia turned the tablet toward him.
"Most of it went through three intermediary companies.""
Richard studied the names.
One was registered in Delaware.
Another was based in Nevada.
The third had no active business website, no public office, and no identifiable employees in the available records.
"Who owns them?""
"That's what the auditors need to establish.""
Richard pointed toward one name.
"Mercer Consulting Holdings.""
Olivia nodded.
"That company is connected to David.""
"Connected how?""
"His brother is listed as the registered manager.""
Richard closed his eyes.
He had trusted David for fifteen years.
They had traveled together.
Negotiated together.
Built projects together.
Richard had even attended David's wedding.
He remembered the man's children calling him Uncle Richard.
Now he was staring at documents suggesting that David had been stealing from him for months.
And the worst part was that Nia had discovered it.
A young mother who had only wanted to bring her newborn daughter to dinner.
Richard looked at her.
"I'm sorry.""
Nia shook her head.
"Dad, you didn't do this.""
"I gave him access.""
"You trusted someone who betrayed you. That's not the same as doing it.""
Richard looked down at Amara.
The baby had fallen asleep against Nia's shoulder.
He gently touched her tiny hand.
"Your daughter has already taught me something tonight.""
Nia smiled faintly.
"What?""
"That sometimes the smallest person in the room sees the biggest problem.""
Nia's eyes filled.
Before she could respond, Olivia's phone rang.
She answered.
"Olivia Grant.""
A voice spoke rapidly on the other end.
Her expression changed.
"Are you certain?""
A pause.
"Send me the confirmation immediately.""
She ended the call.
Richard turned.
"What happened?""
"The bank identified an attempted transfer.""
Richard frowned.
"From which account?""
"The executive operations account.""
"How much?""
"Four hundred and fifty thousand dollars.""
Richard stared at her.
"Was it completed?""
Olivia shook her head.
"The bank placed it under review because we requested a temporary security hold.""
Richard exhaled.
"Who initiated it?""
Olivia looked at the tablet.
"David Mercer.""
Nia's heart began pounding.
"He tried to move the money after we found the documents?""
"Yes.""
Richard looked toward the entrance.
"Where is he?""
The security supervisor approached.
"Sir, we just received information from the parking management office.""
"What information?""
"Mr. Mercer returned to the building through the underground garage.""
Richard turned.
"He's here?""
"Yes. He's currently in the administrative corridor.""
The supervisor paused.
"There's something else.""
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"What?""
"He requested access to the archive room.""
Olivia frowned.
"That's where the original supplier files are stored.""
Richard looked at her.
"Does he have access?""
"His credentials were suspended twenty minutes ago.""
"Then how did he enter?""
The supervisor's expression became uncomfortable.
"He used a physical access card.""
Richard looked toward Marcus.
Marcus slowly raised his head.
"Mr. Carter?""
Richard turned.
"What?""
Marcus swallowed.
"David has a master access card. I gave it to him this afternoon.""
Nia looked at him.
"Why?""
Marcus looked ashamed.
"He said he needed to inspect the private dining area before the event.""
Richard's voice became cold.
"Get security to the archive room. Now.""
The supervisor hurried away.
Then a loud crash echoed from somewhere behind the reception desk.
Everyone turned.
A security employee came running down the corridor.
"Mr. Carter!""
Richard stepped forward.
"What happened?""
The guard was breathing hard.
"David Mercer has been found in the archive room.""
"Good. Is he secured?""
The guard hesitated.
"No, sir.""
Richard frowned.
"What do you mean?""
The guard looked toward the back entrance.
"He's gone.""
Olivia's eyes widened.
"How?""
"He escaped through the service exit.""
Richard looked at the security supervisor.
"Where is the folder?""
The guard lowered his eyes.
"Missing.""
Nia felt cold.
"Which folder?""
Olivia answered.
"The original supplier authorization file.""
Richard looked toward the documents on the counter.
"Is that everything?""
Olivia shook her head.
"No.""
She opened the folder and searched through the remaining pages.
Then she stopped.
Her face lost its color.
"What is it?"" Richard asked.
Olivia slowly turned the final page.
"Sir, the file contains a second authorization.""
Richard leaned forward.
"Whose signature?""
Olivia looked directly at him.
"Yours.""
Richard frowned.
"That's impossible.""
Olivia pointed to the date.
"It was signed digitally three days ago.""
Richard stared at the screen.
Then he looked at Nia.
She was already reading the document.
Her lips parted.
Because this time, the money wasn't being transferred to a supplier.
May you like
It was being transferred out of the company entirely.
And the destination account belonged to a company registered under Nia's name.
