Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN THEY WANTED GONE
Grace sat in the staff dining room with her hands folded tightly in her lap.
Victor stood by the door.
Estate manager Charles Benton sat across from her with a folder.
Margaret remained near the wall.
Charles was sixty-one, polished and calm, with silver hair and the relaxed confidence of someone who had spent twenty years managing other people’s wealth.
“Grace,” he said, “we need honesty.”
“I’m being honest.”
“Your code opened Mr. Whitmore’s office.”
“I was at the hospital.”
Victor snorted.
Charles raised a hand.
“Why were you at the hospital?”
Grace’s eyes lowered.
“My mother had surgery.”
“Can anyone confirm that?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“The hospital.”
Victor muttered, “Convenient.”
Grace glared at him.
“You saw me leave yesterday.”
“I see people come and go.”
“You signed me out.”
Victor’s expression flickered.
Charles noticed.
So did Grace.
“What exactly is missing?” she asked.
Charles looked at Margaret.
Margaret spoke quietly.
“A leather folder.”
“What was inside?”
“No one knows.”
Charles closed the file.
“Until this is resolved, you’re suspended.”
Grace stared at him.
“Without pay?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“My mother’s medication—”
“This isn’t personal.”
“It’s very personal to me.”
For the first time, Grace’s voice cracked.
“My mother had heart surgery yesterday. I need this job.”
Charles stood.
“Then you should have considered that before compromising security.”
“I didn’t!”
Victor opened the door.
“Come on.”
Grace didn’t move.
Charles’s expression cooled.
“Grace.”
Slowly, she stood.
Margaret looked away.
Grace picked up her worn handbag.
As Victor escorted her through the service corridor, she whispered, “You know I didn’t do this.”
Victor leaned close.
“I know you should learn when to keep your nose out of things.”
Grace stopped.
“What does that mean?”
Victor smiled.
“Nothing.”
She stared at him.
“Did you use my code?”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“You really want to accuse security?”
“You knew about the safe before Margaret explained it.”
Victor grabbed her elbow.
“Walk.”
Grace pulled free.
“Don’t touch me.”
He stepped closer.
“Be careful, Grace.”
She lowered her voice.
“Why?”
Victor looked around.
Then whispered, “Because people who ask questions in this house don’t stay employed long.”
Grace felt ice move through her stomach.
Outside, Adrian watched from behind a stand of cedar trees.
He had returned through an old maintenance trail.
He saw Victor force Grace toward the employee parking area.
He saw Grace turn and say something.
Then Victor leaned into her face.
Adrian couldn’t hear the words.
But he saw fear.
Not guilt.
Fear.
His phone vibrated.
Malcolm.
“I found what else was accessed.”
“Tell me.”
“Your estate servers.”
“Which files?”
“Employee records. Alarm systems. Travel schedules.”
Adrian frowned.
“Anything else?”
“Yes.”
Malcolm paused.
“Your updated will.”
Adrian stopped breathing for a second.
Only three people knew he had changed it.
Malcolm.
His attorney.
And Adrian himself.
“Who downloaded it?”
Malcolm said, “That’s what should scare you.”
“Why?”
“Because the download came from inside Whitmore House.”
Then Adrian saw Grace’s car pull away.
And Victor immediately took out his phone.
He called someone.
Adrian watched his lips move.
May you like
Two words were clear.
“She’s gone.”
