Chapter 5: The File That Should Not Exist
The first rule my mother ever taught me was simple.
Never panic when someone wants you to panic.
Fear made people careless.
Fear made people reveal what they were trying to protect.
And standing inside Larkin Steves’ office, watching a security officer tell us that my dead mother had accessed a restricted archive, I realized someone wanted exactly that.
They wanted me frightened.
They wanted me confused.
They wanted me searching for answers before I was ready to find them.
So I did the only thing I had learned to do.
I became still.
“Penelope.””
Larkin’s voice pulled me back.
I looked at him.
“What?””
“You’re thinking.””
I almost smiled.
“Is that unusual?””
“No.””
His eyes stayed on mine.
“What’s unusual is that you’re thinking faster than everyone else in this room.””
The security officer looked between us.
“Mr. Steves, should we lock down the building?””
“Yes.””
Larkin didn’t hesitate.
“Nobody leaves.””
The officer nodded and walked away.
The second the door closed, I looked at Larkin.
“You can’t keep everyone here.””
“I can.””
“People have rights.””
He gave me a cold look.
“You’re worried about rights in a room where someone just used a dead woman’s security access?””
I didn’t answer.
Because he was right.
And I hated that.
Larkin moved toward his desk and picked up the photograph again.
“My father’s files.””
“What about them?””
“You said earlier that the missing folder contained original financial records.””
I stayed quiet.
“You were sure.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Because I had seen them.
Because three years ago, before becoming Penelope Woods, I had broken into a database I was never supposed to access.
Because I had discovered patterns that led me straight to Steves International.
Because my mother’s last investigation had ended here.
But I couldn’t tell him everything.
Not yet.
“Because someone who wanted information would take the most valuable information.””
Larkin studied me.
“That’s not how a secretary thinks.””
I looked at him.
“Maybe you never had an ordinary secretary.””
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?””
A pause.
His expression changed.
“Bring him up.””
He ended the call.
“Who?””
“Someone who can explain what happened tonight.””
I didn’t like his answer.
“Who?””
The elevator outside the office chimed.
The doors opened.
And Thomas Steves walked out.
His suit was wrinkled.
His hair was slightly messy.
The arrogant confidence he always carried was gone.
That alone told me something was wrong.
Thomas never looked afraid.
Not even when he should.
Larkin’s security guards escorted him inside.
Thomas looked at me first.
Then at Larkin.
“You’re making a mistake.””
Larkin didn’t move.
“Are you saying that because I brought you here?””
“I’m saying that because you have no idea what you’re dealing with.””
The words were almost identical to what he had whispered to me earlier.
But this time, there was no amusement.
Only anger.
I stepped closer.
“You knew my mother.””
Thomas froze.
It was only for a second.
But I saw it.
Everyone else might have missed it.
I didn’t.
His eyes changed.
“What did you say?””
“You heard me.””
Larkin looked at him.
“Answer her.””
Thomas laughed softly.
Not because it was funny.
Because he was buying time.
“I don’t know what game you two are playing.””
“No games,” I said.
“My mother’s video named you.””
That was enough.
Thomas’s face lost color.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Larkin noticed too.
“You knew.””
Thomas looked away.
“Not like you think.””
“Then explain.””
Thomas walked toward the desk.
“Three years ago, your father found out someone was stealing from him.””
Larkin’s expression hardened.
“My father?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Thomas didn’t answer.
That silence said more than words.
Larkin stepped closer.
“Who was stealing?””
Thomas looked at me.
And I knew before he spoke.
“Your mother.””
The room became silent.
I stared at him.
“No.””
Thomas didn’t look away.
“She wasn’t stealing money.””
“Then what?””
“She was stealing evidence.””
My heartbeat changed.
Evidence.
Not money.
Not power.
Evidence.
“What evidence?””
Thomas looked at Larkin.
“The kind that could destroy everyone in this room.””
Larkin’s voice dropped.
“Start talking.””
Thomas sighed.
Three years disappeared from his face.
For the first time, he looked less like a criminal and more like someone carrying a secret too heavy to hold.
“Your father wasn’t the man everyone thought he was.””
Larkin’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t.””
“I’m serious.””
Thomas looked at him.
“You inherited the empire, but you never knew what was underneath it.””
Larkin said nothing.
Thomas continued.
“Your father had someone working inside the organization.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“That’s impossible.””
“No.””
Thomas shook his head.
“That’s the problem. Your father trusted very few people. But whoever it was, they had access to everything.””
I looked at him.
“And my mother found them?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Thomas looked at me.
“She was smarter than everyone gave her credit for.””
The words surprised me.
Thomas Steves didn’t compliment people.
Not unless he meant it.
“My mother knew about the syndicate?””
“She knew enough.””
“And you?””
“I knew she was investigating.””
I stepped forward.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?””
Thomas looked at me.
And for a second, I saw something I never expected.
Regret.
“Because I was afraid.””
I almost laughed.
Thomas Steves.
Afraid.
“Of what?””
He looked toward the dark windows overlooking Manhattan.
“Of the person who ordered her death.””
The words settled over the room.
Not an accident.
Not a disappearance.
An order.
Larkin’s expression became unreadable.
“You said she was killed.””
Thomas looked at him.
“I said someone ordered it.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Then who did?””
Thomas didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked at the security cameras.
Every single one.
His expression changed.
“Turn those off.””
Larkin frowned.
“What?””
“Now.””
Something in Thomas’s voice made even Larkin listen.
The cameras went dark.
Thomas lowered his voice.
“There are things I never told anyone.””
“Why?””
“Because I didn’t know who was listening.””
I looked around the office.
“You think there are bugs?””
“I know there are.””
Larkin immediately looked toward security.
Thomas stopped him.
“Not yours.””
A pause.
“Your father’s.””
Larkin went still.
“My father died three years ago.””
Thomas nodded.
“Yes.””
“Then how?””
Thomas looked at me.
“Because whoever inherited his secrets inherited his enemies.””
Nobody spoke.
Then I heard it.
A sound.
Quiet.
Almost impossible to notice.
A small mechanical click.
My eyes moved toward the bookshelf.
Everyone followed my gaze.
Larkin reached for his weapon.
Thomas whispered:
“Too late.””
The bookshelf shifted.
Behind it was a hidden compartment.
Inside was a small recording device.
A red light blinked.
Someone had been listening.
For how long?
Minutes?
Hours?
Years?
Larkin grabbed it.
He destroyed the device immediately.
But not before one final sound came through the speaker.
A voice.
Distorted.
Unknown.
But the message was clear.
“Penelope Woods.””
My blood froze.
The voice continued.
“You should have stayed invisible.””
Then the device went silent.
Nobody moved.
Because whoever was watching knew my name.
Not the secretary.
Not the fake identity.
My real name.
Thomas looked at me.
And for the first time since I met him…
He looked terrified.
“Penelope,” he whispered.
I turned.
“What?””
His face went pale.
“The person who wanted your mother dead…”
A pause.
“He’s the reason your mother made you disappear.””
I felt the room tilt.
“Who?””
Thomas looked at Larkin.
Then back at me.
May you like
And the answer he gave was one I never expected.
“Your father.””
