Chapter 9 - The Office After Dark.
Claire reached Bennett Holdings twenty minutes later with Elias, Daniel, Ethan, and two building security officers.
The office tower was only four blocks from the hotel, but the drive felt longer because no one spoke.
Claire kept thinking about Martin sitting behind her desk with access to records he knew better than almost anyone.
The thirty-second floor was dark except for emergency lighting and the pale glow from Claire's office.
The security officers unlocked the glass doors, and Claire made Ethan stay behind them.
They entered.
Martin was not at the desk.
Claire's computer was awake.
A portable drive lay beside the keyboard.
The wall safe behind a framed architectural print stood open.
Elias walked toward it.
"What's missing?"
Claire looked inside.
One folder was gone from the safe.
"The original trust-property deeds."
Daniel's face tightened.
"He can't transfer title with those alone."
"No," Elias said.
"But he can create a lot of confusion if he has supporting signatures."
A sound came from the conference room.
Everyone turned.
Martin stepped out slowly with his hands visible.
He was still wearing the dark suit Claire had seen him in that morning.
"You didn't need to bring security," he said.
Claire stared at him.
"You downloaded my trust archive."
"To protect it."
Ethan scoffed.
"That's convenient."
Martin ignored him.
"Robert called me after the reception account was frozen."
Claire folded her arms.
"And you came here to help him?"
"I came here because your father is about to destroy records that will make the company impossible to refinance."
Elias stepped closer.
"Where are the deeds?"
Martin looked toward Claire.
"I gave them to Vanessa."
Ethan moved before anyone else could react.
"You did what?"
The security officers blocked him.
Martin raised his voice.
"She said she was bringing them to you."
"At my wedding?"
"She said Claire was trying to seize everything out of spite and you needed proof of ownership."
Ethan's face drained of color.
Claire studied Martin.
"Why would you believe her?"
Martin looked ashamed for the first time.
"Because Robert told me to."
"How long have you been taking instructions from my father?"
Martin did not answer.
That was answer enough.
Claire walked to her desk and picked up the portable drive.
"What's on this?"
"Copies."
"Of what?"
"Everything Robert asked me to alter."
The room went silent.
Elias looked sharply at Martin.
"Alter?"
Martin closed his eyes briefly.
"Dates. Approval chains. Beneficiary descriptions. Nothing that changed the underlying bank balances directly."
Claire's voice became colder.
"You made false records look legitimate."
"I told myself I was correcting old bookkeeping."
"For nine years?"
Martin looked at the floor.
"At first, I thought Robert was protecting the company."
"And later?"
"Later I was protecting myself."
Claire placed the drive in Elias's hand.
"Then start telling the truth."
Martin nodded.
"There's something you need to know about the wedding account."
Ethan laughed bitterly.
"What else could there possibly be?"
Martin looked directly at him.
"The wedding was never the real transaction."
May you like
He pointed toward Claire's computer.
"It was the deadline."
