Chapter 4: The Name on the Message
Arthur Reynolds stared at the phone screen.
The message remained unchanged.
*You should have let him get on the plane.*
And beneath it:
*Claire Mitchell.*
For several seconds, nobody in the room spoke.
The noise of the airport outside seemed to disappear.
No announcements.
No footsteps.
No engines roaring from the runway.
Only those two words on the screen.
Arthur looked at Ethan Cole.
Then Victoria.
Then back at the phone.
“Explain.””
Ethan’s face was tense.
“I don’t know.””
Arthur’s expression hardened.
“That answer is no longer acceptable.””
“I’m telling you the truth.””
Arthur placed the phone on the table.
“The message says my assistant’s name.””
“Yes.””
“So either Claire is involved…”
He paused.
“Or someone wants me to believe she is.””
Ethan nodded slowly.
“Exactly.””
Victoria looked between them.
“Who has access to your assistant’s information?””
Arthur didn’t answer immediately.
Because the answer was obvious.
Too obvious.
Claire had worked beside him for eight years.
She knew his schedule.
His travel plans.
His business contacts.
His communication systems.
She knew everything.
Almost everything.
But Arthur had built his career on one principle.
Trust people.
Verify systems.
He never allowed loyalty to replace evidence.
He picked up his phone and called Claire.
The call rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then voicemail.
Arthur ended the call.
He tried again.
Nothing.
Victoria noticed.
“She’s not answering?””
“No.””
“Is that normal?””
“No.””
Arthur looked at Ethan.
“Who else knows she manages my personal business operations?””
Ethan answered carefully.
“Everyone involved in the investment process.””
“Names.””
Ethan hesitated.
Arthur’s eyes sharpened.
“Names, Ethan.””
The CEO sighed.
“Michael Grant.””
“Your CFO?””
“Yes.””
“Who else?””
“Members of the executive board.””
“Anyone outside Meridian?””
Ethan looked away.
That small movement was enough.
Arthur noticed immediately.
“Who?””
The CEO remained silent.
Arthur stepped closer.
“Ethan.””
Finally, Ethan spoke.
“A consulting firm.””
“What consulting firm?””
Ethan looked uncomfortable.
“Blackstone Advisory.””
Arthur froze.
Not because the company was unfamiliar.
Because it was familiar.
Very familiar.
Blackstone Advisory had worked with Reynolds Global Holdings two years earlier.
They had helped analyze a technology acquisition.
And the person who led that project was someone Arthur trusted.
Someone who had introduced him to Claire.
Arthur’s mind moved quickly.
Too quickly for comfort.
“What information did they have?””
Ethan answered.
“Everything related to the merger.””
Arthur stared.
“You gave an outside company access to a confidential five-billion-dollar agreement?””
“They were part of the due diligence process.””
“Due diligence does not mean unlimited access.””
“I know that now.””
Arthur walked back to the table.
The situation was changing.
This was no longer a simple corporate scandal.
Someone had access.
Someone had motive.
And someone had been close enough to manipulate his decisions.
His phone suddenly vibrated.
Everyone looked at it.
A new message.
From Claire.
Arthur opened it.
*Arthur, do not trust anyone at Meridian. Call me when you are alone.*
He stared at the message.
Victoria noticed his expression.
“Is it her?””
Arthur nodded.
“Yes.””
“Is she safe?””
“I don’t know.””
Ethan stepped forward.
“What did she say?””
Arthur looked at him.
“Why?””
The CEO stopped.
“Because if Claire is involved, we need to know.””
Arthur’s voice became colder.
“If Claire is involved, I’ll find out.””
A silence followed.
Then Arthur typed a response.
*Where are you?*
The reply came almost instantly.
*Not safe to say.*
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
He typed again.
*Did you leak the documents?*
This time, the response took longer.
Almost a full minute.
Then:
*No. I tried to stop it.*
Arthur looked at the message.
Victoria watched him carefully.
“What does she mean?””
Arthur didn’t answer.
Because a new thought had entered his mind.
A dangerous one.
What if Claire had known something before he did?
What if she had been trying to protect him?
What if removing him from the flight was not an attack?
What if it was the only thing that saved him?
Arthur looked at Ethan.
“Why did you really stop me from boarding?””
Ethan looked exhausted.
“I told you.””
“No.””
Arthur shook his head.
“You told me you were protecting me. But you haven’t told me why.””
Ethan sat down.
For the first time, the powerful CEO looked like a man carrying a burden too heavy for him.
“Three days ago, I received an anonymous report.””
Arthur waited.
“It said someone planned to sabotage the investment.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“What evidence?””
Ethan looked at Victoria.
Then back at Arthur.
“A recording.””
He pulled out his phone.
“I wasn’t supposed to show anyone.””
Arthur watched as Ethan opened a file.
A voice filled the room.
A man speaking quietly.
“We don’t need to stop the investment. We need it completed.””
Another voice replied.
“And Reynolds?””
“He won’t know until it’s too late.””
Arthur’s face changed.
The recording continued.
“Once the money moves, the audit process begins. By then, we’ll have control.””
The first voice asked:
“And if he discovers the truth?””
A pause.
Then:
“Make sure he never reaches London.””
The recording ended.
Silence.
Arthur replayed it mentally.
Make sure he never reaches London.
Not remove him.
Not scare him.
Prevent him.
Someone had known his travel plans.
Someone had known the exact timing of the agreement.
Someone had known enough to fear what would happen after he arrived.
Arthur looked at Ethan.
“When did you receive this?””
“Yesterday.””
“And you didn’t tell me?””
“I couldn’t.””
“Why?””
“Because I didn’t know who I could trust.””
Arthur gave a humorless smile.
“That makes two of us.””
The room became quiet again.
Then Victoria’s phone rang.
She checked the screen.
Her expression immediately changed.
“What?””
She listened.
“Where?””
Another pause.
“Are you sure?””
She ended the call.
Arthur looked at her.
“What happened?””
Victoria slowly raised her eyes.
“The security team found something.””
“Where?””
“On Flight 418.””
Arthur felt his stomach tighten.
“What?””
Victoria looked at Ethan.
Then Arthur.
“They found a device hidden under your seat.””
Nobody moved.
Arthur looked toward the hallway.
Seat 1A.
His seat.
“What kind of device?””
Victoria swallowed.
“They don’t know yet.””
Ethan stood.
“Is it dangerous?””
“They’re investigating.””
Arthur’s mind raced.
A hidden device.
A leaked agreement.
A fake security concern.
A warning telling someone to stop him from flying.
Everything connected.
But one question remained.
Why?
Why go through all this?
Why him?
Why now?
His phone vibrated again.
Another message.
This time from an unknown number.
Arthur opened it.
There was only a photo.
A photograph taken inside the first-class cabin of Flight 418.
A photograph of Arthur sitting in seat 1A.
Taken from behind.
Taken before security arrived.
Underneath the image was a message.
*You were never the target.*
Arthur stared.
A second message appeared.
*The person sitting beside you was.*
His eyes moved slowly back to the photograph.
He zoomed in.
The seat next to him.
Seat 1B.
Empty.
Or at least, it looked empty.
Arthur looked closer.
A small reflection appeared in the window.
A person standing behind the camera.
Someone who had been inside the cabin.
Someone who had watched everything.
Then another message arrived.
*Ask yourself why your seat partner never boarded.*
Arthur’s blood ran cold.
Because he suddenly remembered.
The passenger assigned to seat 1B.
He had seen the name on the boarding screen.
A name he recognized.
May you like
A name that should have been impossible.
Because that passenger was officially reported dead three years ago.
