Chapter 8 - The Paper Trail
Brenda’s knees buckled. She caught herself on the corner of the printer, sending a plastic tray clattering against the floor.
"You think this was an accident?" Elena asked, picking up a single page from the floor and holding it up so Brenda could see the red-inked balance sheet. "You thought I was standing here running duplicates for your presentation. I was running the wire transfer logs from Apex Freight into your offshore shell company in the Caymans."
Every whispered rumor, every back-room kickback that Brenda had buried beneath layers of corporate compliance for half a decade was laid out across the glossy paper.
"You... you set me up," Brenda whispered, tears of terror finally tracking through her foundation. "You baited me."
"I gave you a choice," Elena countered, her voice ringing clear through the lobby. "I walked over to this machine, introduced myself as an entry-level analyst, and handed you the morning dispatch. You threw it in my face. I told you I was here to do my job, and you demanded I go buy your coffee. And when I held my ground, you struck me. You weren't set up, Brenda. You just showed everyone who you actually are when you think there are no consequences."
The glass elevator chimed again.
This time, four men in dark navy suits stepped out, led by Arthur Pendelton, Vance Conglomerates' chief legal counsel for thirty years. Behind them marched two armed building security officers in tactical vests.
May you like
"Arthur," Evelyn said, never breaking eye contact with the crumbling director.
"We have the files, Evelyn," Arthur replied, his voice dry and devoid of sentiment. "The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois has already been notified. They're dispatching federal marshals to freeze all domestic accounts."
