Chapter 9 - THE FILE HE CAME BACK FOR
Ryan had been suspended.
His keycard was disabled.
So how did he enter Hawthorne Financial at four in the morning?
David Mercer.
Security footage answered that question.
David’s badge opened the executive entrance.
Ryan walked in six seconds later.
The two men remained inside for twenty-two minutes.
Then Ryan left carrying a black document case.
David left through the parking garage.
By 7:00 a.m., neither answered their phones.
Gregory called the police.
Then federal investigators.
Then Claire.
“I think they went back for records,” Gregory said.
Claire sat at Natalie’s kitchen table.
“What records?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Then why call me?”
Gregory hesitated.
“Because Ryan accessed your file.”
Claire stopped.
“My file?”
“You’re listed as a beneficiary on a private investment product.”
“I don’t have anything with Hawthorne.”
“That’s what worries me.”
Gregory sent the document.
Claire opened it.
Her name.
Her Social Security number.
Her address.
A $2.4 million investment account.
She stared.
“I’ve never seen this.”
Natalie leaned over.
“Where did the money originate?”
Gregory answered.
“Multiple client transfers.”
Claire’s heart pounded.
“So he put stolen money in my name.”
“It appears that way.”
Claire stood.
“Why?”
Natalie answered quietly.
“Because if investigators found it, they’d find you.”
Claire thought of every dinner.
Every anniversary.
Every morning Ryan kissed her before work.
How long had he been planning this?
Not cheating.
Not leaving.
Framing.
“Ryan didn’t suddenly panic,” she whispered.
Natalie looked at her.
“No.”
“He planned for me to take the fall.”
“Yes.”
Claire’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
Everyone froze.
She answered.
“Hello?”
Ryan’s voice.
“Are you happy now?”
Claire turned on speaker.
“Where are you?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“You broke into your office.”
“My office.”
“You’re suspended.”
“You really enjoy saying that.”
Claire clenched her jaw.
“What did you take?”
Ryan laughed.
“Still asking questions.”
“Where’s David?”
Silence.
Then Ryan said, “He made his choice.”
“What does that mean?”
“Ask Gregory.”
The line went dead.
Gregory sounded alarmed.
“What did he mean?”
Nobody knew.
Until twenty minutes later.
Police found David Mercer’s car at a highway rest stop.
The driver door was open.
His phone was on the ground.
Blood was visible on the seat.
But David was gone.
And suddenly every assumption changed.
May you like
Because if Ryan had hurt David, this was no longer only a financial crime.
It was a manhunt.
