Chapter 5: The Deal Marcus Offered
Julian opened the door but kept the chain fastened.
Two uniformed officers stood beside Marcus.
His attorney, Daniel Price, held a leather folder.
Marcus pointed into the room.
“That ledger belongs to Mercer Financial.”
Chloe stepped behind me.
“I brought it here.”
Daniel opened his folder.
“Ms.
Vance is not authorized to remove company records.”
“I’m Mercer Financial’s chief operating officer,” Chloe said.
“You were,” Marcus replied.
“Your access was terminated twelve minutes ago.”
One officer looked at Julian.
“Sir, may we enter?”
Julian removed the chain.
“Yes.
No one here is hiding anything.”
Marcus walked straight toward the desk.
“Don’t touch the laptop,” I said.
“It’s company property.”
“It may contain evidence.”
“Evidence of what?
Your attempt to sabotage my acquisition?”
Chloe held up both hands.
“I copied those files because Marcus ordered transfers from protected accounts.”
Daniel turned to her.
“Anything you say can be used against you.”
“Is that legal advice,” she asked, “or another warning?”
Marcus pointed at me.
“Evelyn stole confidential records five years ago.
Tonight, she arranged for Chloe to steal more.”
“I did not arrange this meeting.”
“Prove it.”
Chloe reached for the memory card, but Marcus knocked the ledger from the desk.
Pages scattered across the carpet.
One officer stepped between them.
“Sir, stand back.”
Marcus lifted his hands.
“I was reaching for my property.”
“You were reaching for the card,” I said.
He looked at me and smiled.
“What card?”
Chloe froze.
The tiny card was no longer in her palm.
Marcus turned one empty hand over.
“Search me.”
The officers found nothing.
Julian checked beneath the desk while Chloe searched the carpet.
“It was here,” she said.
“He took it.”
Daniel handed the officers a court filing.
“Mercer Financial is seeking an emergency order against Mrs.
Rhodes for possession of stolen records.”
Marcus lowered his voice.
“May I speak to my ex-wife privately?”
“No,” Julian said.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Everyone stays in the room.”
Marcus stepped close enough that I smelled champagne.
“Give me the encrypted drive,” he said.
“Sign a statement saying Chloe acted alone, and this disappears.”
“You threatened Emma.”
“I warned you that public scandal changes families.”
“You sent me her photograph.”
“Can you prove I sent it?”
Julian held up my phone.
“The message can be traced.”
Marcus smiled.
“Then trace it.”
Chloe stared at him.
“You used the prepaid phone from the Weston house.”
His smile flickered.
Daniel seized her arm.
“Stop talking.”
Chloe pulled free.
“You don’t represent me.”
Marcus’s voice hardened.
“Take the deal, Evelyn.
Keep your marriage, your career, and your comfortable new life.”
“And Chloe?”
“She made her choices.”
“So did you.”
He leaned closer.
“The difference is that I planned mine.”
I took the encrypted drive from my handbag.
Marcus’s eyes followed it.
“This is what you want?”
“Hand it over.”
I held it above the water glass, then closed my fist around it.
“No.”
His face changed.
“Then tomorrow, my board will receive proof that you designed the transfer system.”
My phone rang.
Grace Holden, Julian’s compliance director, was calling.
I answered on speaker.
“Grace?”
“Evelyn, Mercer Financial just sent our board a package of emails.
They appear to show you instructing Marcus how to hide the transfers.”
“I never wrote them.”
“I believe you, but the metadata identifies your old home computer.”
Marcus adjusted his cuff.
Grace continued, “The Rhodes board has suspended the acquisition—and they’ve requested an independent investigation into you and Julian.”
Marcus walked to the door.
“At nine tomorrow,” he said, “your husband’s board will decide which one of us they believe.”
Chloe looked at the empty carpet where the memory card had fallen.
May you like
Then she whispered, “He switched it.
Marcus has the real card.”
