Chapter 15 - The Missing MinuteThe threat was not theoretical.
At 6:13 a.m., Daniel received an email from a newly created account.
TRANSFER $5 MILLION TO THE ATTACHED ACCOUNT OR DENVER GOES PUBLIC.
Attached were internal documents proving Reed Horizon had continued construction despite the old stop-work order.
A second folder contained Noah's school records, photographs and the pawn shop report.
The intended story was obvious.
Daniel's unstable teenage son had broken into company systems, stolen confidential information and attempted extortion.
Noah stared at the screen.
“He's using Claire's setup.”
Claire looked sick.
“That was always part of the contingency.”
Daniel turned.
“What contingency?”
“If the estate plan failed.”
Noah stared at her.
“You were building evidence against me so Mark could use me as a scapegoat.”
Claire didn't answer.
Daniel slammed his hand against the desk.
“Answer him!”
Claire flinched.
“Yes.”
Noah walked out.
He couldn't remain in the room.
Daniel followed him into the hall.
“Noah.”
“Don't.”
“I didn't know.”
“You never know.”
Daniel stopped.
Noah turned.
“That's your excuse for everything.”
“It isn't.”
“You didn't know Mark was stealing. You didn't know Claire married you because of Mark. You didn't know she was framing me.”
Noah's voice cracked.
“You didn't know because you didn't look.”
Daniel absorbed every word.
Noah went upstairs.
Later, Rebecca brought the police and federal investigators the pool footage.
Claire formally retained her own attorney.
She was no longer free to discuss everything openly.
But before her lawyer arrived, she gave Noah one thing.
A storage key.
He stared at it.
“What is this?”
“The copies.”
“Where?”
“Private storage facility.”
“Why give it to me?”
“Because Mark doesn't know I changed the unit.”
Noah didn't take it.
“Give it to investigators.”
“I will.”
“Then why me?”
Claire looked at him.
“Because there's something inside about your mother.”
Noah froze.
“What?”
Claire's eyes softened.
“I didn't know until last year.”
“What?”
“Mark kept files on everyone.”
Noah took the key.
An hour later Rebecca and investigators accompanied them to the storage facility.
Inside were banker boxes.
Hard drives.
Property records.
Copies of emails.
Claire had been collecting evidence against Mark for almost two years.
Not enough to make her innocent.
Enough to prove she expected betrayal.
One box was labeled LEAH.
Noah opened it.
Inside were copies of his mother's investigation.
And a transcript.
A recorded meeting between Leah and Mark.
Noah read.
Leah had confronted Mark about early land deals four years earlier.
Mark denied everything.
Then threatened Daniel with Denver.
Leah responded:
If you use my husband's mistake to steal from this company, I will expose both of you.
Noah swallowed.
His mother had been willing to expose Daniel too.
She had not protected the company.
She had protected the truth.
Another document contained something stranger.
A security log from the week Leah discovered Mark's scheme.
There was a one-minute gap in the office surveillance archive.
Exactly sixty-three seconds.
Noah asked Rebecca, “Why is this here?”
Claire answered.
“Mark deletes only what matters.”
Noah looked at her.
“What happened during that minute?”
“I don't know.”
They searched the box.
At the bottom was a photograph.
Mark standing outside Leah's office.
Beside him was Claire.
Dated four years ago.
Long before Claire supposedly met Daniel.
Noah stared at her.
“You knew my mother.”
Claire went pale.
“No.”
“The picture says you did.”
“I never spoke to her.”
“You were there.”
Claire sat.
Then she told him.
Four years earlier, Claire had been working as an event coordinator for one of Mark's shell companies.
Mark sent her to Reed Horizon headquarters to deliver an envelope.
She had seen Leah.
Only briefly.
“She looked at me,” Claire whispered.
“Did she know who you were?”
“I don't know.”
Noah studied the photograph.
Claire seemed younger.
Nervous.
Not yet wealthy.
Not yet Daniel's wife.
Then Noah noticed the envelope in Claire's hand.
The same logo as Cedar Ridge's predecessor company.
May you like
His mother had been within feet of the conspiracy.
And maybe she had discovered Claire's connection before anyone else.
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