Chapter 3 - FOURTEEN MINUTES
Marcus found Elaine beside the nurses’ station.
She was twisting her event badge around one finger.
“Who could turn off that camera?”
“Security administrators. Facilities. A few event accounts.”
“Was it a malfunction?”
“The system shows a privacy override.”
“Who authorized it?”
Elaine looked past him.
That was when he knew she already had an answer.
“Elaine.”
“Your account.”
Marcus stared at her.
“I didn’t authorize anything.”
“I believe you.”
“You don’t sound surprised.”
Before she could respond, Detective Ortiz approached.
“Mr. Thorne, I need you to stop investigating this through your employees.”
“My wife was attacked.”
“And people may already be altering evidence. Give me what you have.”
He handed her the phone.
Ortiz read the messages.
“Who else can access your executive scheduling account?”
“My chief financial officer. My assistant. Foundation administration for certain events.”
“Including Ms. Rossi?”
“Yes.”
Saying it aloud made him feel sick.
Inside the room, Khloe lay still while a nurse checked her blood pressure.
Marcus waited until they were alone.
“The camera wasn’t recording.”
She shut her eyes.
“Of course.”
“The police are looking at the access logs.”
“You thought the camera would make this easy.”
“I thought it would prove—”
“What I said?”
He sat down.
“No. What she did.”
Khloe studied his face.
Then she reached for her purse.
“There’s something you need to see.”
She pulled out a folded page.
It was a foundation payment report, covered in small handwritten notes.
Marcus recognized the charity’s letterhead.
“What is this?”
“The reason she followed me upstairs.”
He looked up.
Khloe spoke carefully, stopping once when a contraction tightened her stomach.
“I’ve been helping the family assistance volunteers. Three mothers told me their transportation grants never came. But the system said they’d been paid.”
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“I tried on Tuesday.”
He remembered his office.
A conference call.
His hand covering the microphone while he told her they would talk after the gala.
They never had.
Khloe pointed to a vendor name.
“Bellwether Patient Services received the money.”
Marcus went cold.
He knew Bellwether.
His CFO, Adrian Vale, had recommended the company.
At the bottom of the page, beneath an approval code, was Marcus’s electronic signature.
Khloe watched his expression change.
“Tell me you didn’t know.”
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
Adrian.
Marcus let it ring.
May you like
Then a text appeared.
Don’t discuss foundation payments with anyone until I get there.
