Chapter 5: Two Million Dollars and a Dead Man's Promise
I stared at the transaction record.
Two million dollars.
Paid to Gloria Harris.
Three days after my father died.
For several seconds, I forgot how to breathe.
Martin Hayes closed the conference room door.
“I understand this is difficult.””
“Difficult?””
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
“My father had barely been buried, and she was collecting two million dollars?””
Martin looked down.
“We don't know the exact nature of the payment yet.””
“Then what do we know?””
“We know Harris Mobility Holdings received an advance from a private investment group. The money was subsequently transferred to your stepmother's personal account.””
I looked at the bank details.
The account number was partially concealed.
But the name was clear.
Gloria Harris.
“Who authorized the transfer?””
“Richard Coleman approved the initial investment.””
I felt sick.
“Why?””
Martin hesitated.
“That is one of the questions we're investigating.””
I thought about my father's final months.
The hospital visits.
The medication.
The way Gloria had insisted on controlling every conversation with the doctors.
The way she had taken his phone whenever he fell asleep.
And the way she had told me he didn't want visitors because he was tired.
I had believed her.
I'd believed every word.
“Was Dad involved in this company?”” I asked.
Martin nodded.
“He was listed as an original shareholder.””
“Did he know about the two million dollars?””
“We haven't established that.””
I closed the folder.
“Then I want to see every document.””
Martin looked at me carefully.
“I'll arrange access through legal.””
“Today.””
“I'll do what I can.””
I stood.
“Thank you.””
As I reached the door, he spoke again.
“Maya.””
I turned.
“Be careful. This investigation could become much larger than a dispute over design credit.””
I looked at the paperwork.
“I think it already is.””
Daniel was waiting outside.
He had been speaking with another engineer.
When he saw my expression, he ended the conversation.
“What happened?””
I handed him the transaction record.
He read it.
Then he looked at me.
“Two million?””
“Gloria received it.””
Daniel exhaled slowly.
“That's not good.””
“Do you know anything about Harris Mobility Holdings?””
He nodded.
“Only that your father established a holding company years ago. It was supposed to manage investments connected to the automotive division.””
“Was Vanessa involved?””
“She was listed as an administrative representative.””
“And Richard?””
Daniel's face tightened.
“He was one of the outside investors.””
I leaned against the wall.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
“Your father handled most of the private business arrangements himself.””
“Gloria controlled his paperwork.””
Daniel didn't disagree.
We walked toward his office.
Once inside, he locked the door.
“There's something I haven't told you.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“Your father asked me to investigate Harris Mobility Holdings before he died.””
I sat down.
“Why?””
“He believed money was disappearing from one of the company's development accounts.””
“How much?””
Daniel opened a drawer.
“Initially, about four hundred thousand dollars.””
I stared at him.
“And?””
“The amount increased over several months. He suspected the money was being redirected through consulting companies.””
“Did he find proof?””
Daniel placed a USB drive on the desk.
“He gave me this.””
I looked at the small black device.
“Another recording?””
“No. Financial records.””
He connected it to his computer.
A spreadsheet appeared.
Rows of transactions filled the screen.
Several companies were listed as recipients.
I recognized none of them.
Daniel pointed to one.
“Northbridge Strategic Consulting.””
“What is that?””
“A company registered in Delaware. It received payments for project development services.””
“How much?””
“Nearly seven hundred thousand dollars.””
He opened another file.
The company had no employees listed.
No operating address beyond a registered agent.
No public portfolio.
It appeared to exist primarily on paper.
“Who owns it?”” I asked.
Daniel opened the registration document.
The listed director was Gloria Harris.
I covered my mouth.
“Was Dad aware?””
“He was investigating it.””
I looked at the transactions again.
One payment stood out.
It was dated six days before my father entered the hospital.
The description read:
*AURORA PREDEVELOPMENT CONSULTING.*
My hands went cold.
“Project Aurora hadn't even been officially approved then.””
Daniel nodded.
“That's what concerned your father.””
I stared at the spreadsheet.
Someone had been moving money under the name of a project that hadn't yet been completed.
A project I would eventually design.
“Why would they do that?””
Daniel leaned back.
“Because they expected the project to become valuable.””
I remembered the financial valuation from Gloria's dining room.
Eighteen and a half million dollars.
But the number no longer seemed like the whole story.
“What if the design was never the real objective?”” I whispered.
Daniel looked at me.
“What do you mean?””
“What if they wanted the intellectual property because it was being used to justify something else?””
He didn't answer.
But his expression told me he was thinking the same thing.
At 2:40 p.m., my employee badge stopped working.
I discovered it when I returned from the cafeteria.
I tapped it against the security reader.
A red light flashed.
*ACCESS DENIED.*
I tried again.
Nothing.
The security guard approached.
“Miss Harris?””
“Yes?””
“Your access has been temporarily suspended.””
“By whom?””
He checked his tablet.
“Human Resources.””
I stared at him.
“I'm still employed.””
“I'm sorry. That's what the system says.””
Daniel appeared from the hallway.
“What's happening?””
He looked at the reader.
Then at me.
“Who authorized this?””
The guard shrugged.
“I only received the instruction.””
Daniel called Martin.
A few minutes later, my phone rang.
It was Martin.
“Maya, don't panic.””
“Someone just disabled my access.””
“I know. HR received a complaint alleging unauthorized access to confidential company records.””
“From Vanessa?””
“Her attorney submitted it this morning.””
I laughed bitterly.
“She steals my presentation, and I'm the one locked out?””
“It's temporary.””
“For how long?””
“Until the investigation determines whether the access complaint is valid.””
I looked through the glass walls at the design department.
My desk was visible.
My notebooks were still there.
The sketches I'd drawn over three months were still taped above my monitor.
And now I couldn't even retrieve my own belongings.
“Martin, I need my files.””
“We'll arrange supervised access.””
I ended the call.
Daniel looked furious.
“She can't keep doing this.””
“She doesn't need to. She's already done enough.””
He lowered his voice.
“Go home. I'll handle the access issue.””
I shook my head.
“No. I'm going to the hospital.””
Daniel frowned.
“Why?””
I pulled out my phone.
“Because Gloria used the hospital as the location for a signature I never made. I want to know who was there that day.””
He studied me.
“Do you have a contact?””
“Dad's old nurse. Her name was Patricia.””
Daniel nodded.
“Then call her.””
Patricia answered on the fourth ring.
When I told her who I was, her voice softened.
“Oh, sweetheart. How are you?””
I nearly cried.
“I need to ask you something about the day Dad died.””
There was a pause.
“What about it?””
“Did I leave his room at any point that afternoon?””
“No.””
“Did I sign any documents?””
Another pause.
“Not that I remember.””
“Was Gloria there?””
“Yes. She was in and out.””
“Did she take any paperwork into the family consultation room?””
Patricia hesitated.
“I remember her asking the receptionist for a notary.””
My stomach dropped.
“A notary?””
“Yes. She said your father needed to finalize some business documents.””
I gripped the phone.
“What time?””
“About three in the afternoon.””
“Was Dad conscious?””
Patricia's voice became quieter.
“No, Maya. He wasn't.””
I closed my eyes.
“Did I go with her?””
“No. You were sitting beside your father.””
I swallowed.
“Did anyone else come?””
Patricia was silent for several seconds.
Then she said:
“There was a man.””
“What man?””
“I didn't know his name. He wore a dark suit. He had a leather briefcase. He spoke with Gloria in the hallway.””
“Did you see his face?””
“Yes.””
“Would you recognize him?””
“I think so.””
I looked at Daniel.
He was watching me.
“Patricia, do you remember anything else?””
“Yes.””
“What?””
“She was carrying a blue folder. After the man left, she came back into the room and told you your father had signed everything.””
My throat tightened.
“She told me that?””
“Yes. She said he wanted you to have nothing to worry about.””
I remembered that moment.
Gloria had placed her hand on my shoulder.
She had told me Dad had taken care of everything.
I'd been crying too hard to ask what everything meant.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Patricia paused.
“Maya?””
“Yes?””
“I kept something from that day.””
I sat upright.
“What?””
“A photograph.””
My heart began pounding.
“Of what?””
“The hospital room. I took it because your father had asked me to send him a picture of the flowers you brought.””
I waited.
“But there's something in the background,” she continued.
“I didn't notice it until much later.””
“What?””
“The blue folder.””
I felt my fingers tighten around the phone.
“Can you send it to me?””
“I can.””
A few seconds later, an image arrived.
I opened it.
There was my father in the hospital bed.
My hand was visible beside his.
The flowers stood on the windowsill.
And near the doorway, partially hidden behind a chair, was the blue folder Patricia had mentioned.
I zoomed in.
A white label was attached to its front.
The writing was blurry.
But I could make out two words.
*AURORA TRANSFER.*
Below them was a small handwritten date.
The day before my father died.
I stared at the image.
Then I noticed something else.
A man's reflection appeared in the glass cabinet behind the bed.
Dark suit.
Leather briefcase.
His face was turned slightly toward the camera.
Daniel leaned over my shoulder.
His expression changed instantly.
“Do you know him?”” I asked.
He didn't answer.
“Daniel?””
He swallowed.
“That's Richard Coleman.””
I looked at him.
“The CEO?””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“He visited your father that afternoon.””
I zoomed in again.
Richard's reflection was faint, but unmistakable.
And suddenly, the two-million-dollar payment made more sense.
Richard hadn't simply approved the investment.
He had been at my father's hospital room when the supposed agreement was being prepared.
I forwarded the photograph to Martin.
Then I called Patricia again.
“Can I ask you one more question?””
“Of course.””
“Did Richard Coleman speak to my father?””
“No.””
“Are you sure?””
“Yes. Your father was unconscious. Richard spoke to Gloria in the hallway.””
I closed my eyes.
“What did he say?””
Patricia hesitated.
Then she answered.
“I heard him say, 'Once the daughter signs, we're clear.''”
My heart stopped.
The daughter.
Me.
But I hadn't signed anything.
And Richard knew it.
At 5:18 p.m., Martin called.
“Maya, I received the photograph.””
“Did you identify the man?””
“Yes.””
“Richard?””
“I'm aware.””
“What happens now?””
He took a breath.
“Richard has been informed that the board is reviewing the financial transactions connected to Harris Mobility Holdings.””
“And?””
“He has requested that the investigation be paused.””
I frowned.
“Can he do that?””
“Not without a board vote.””
“Then what?””
Martin lowered his voice.
“He's called an emergency executive meeting for tomorrow.””
“Why?””
“To discuss the future of Project Aurora.””
I looked at Daniel.
“What's wrong with that?””
Martin paused.
Then he said:
“Vanessa has submitted a revised design package.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“She can't. Her access is suspended.””
“She submitted it before her access was removed.””
“What's in it?””
“We haven't reviewed the technical details yet.””
“Then why are you calling me?””
His voice became serious.
“Because the package includes a signed declaration from Daniel Reed stating that Vanessa was the original designer.””
I turned toward Daniel.
He went completely still.
“That is impossible,” I said.
Martin replied quietly.
“The declaration is signed.””
I looked at Daniel.
He shook his head.
“I didn't sign anything.””
Martin continued.
“And there's something else. The declaration claims that you stole the original concept from Vanessa's private design archive.””
I felt cold all over.
They weren't merely trying to steal my work anymore.
May you like
They were preparing to accuse me of stealing it.
And now they had forged Daniel's signature too.
