Chapter 8: The Name No One Mentioned
She didn't ask Julian about Carter Blaine that day.
She asked Marcus.
They were in the elevator together at the end of the day, Marcus heading down to the parking level, Abby heading to the lobby.
She waited until the doors closed.
"Who was Carter Blaine?" she asked.
Marcus looked straight ahead at the elevator doors.
"Where did you hear that name?"
"Diane."
He was quiet for three floors.
"Carter Blaine managed Julian's personal operations for six years," Marcus said.
"Properties, household staff, private scheduling.
He had full access to everything."
"What happened eight months ago?"
Marcus pressed his lips together.
"There were financial irregularities.
In the household accounts."
"How large?"
"Large enough that Julian didn't want it made public." Marcus glanced at her.
"He handled it privately.
Carter signed an NDA and left."
Abby thought about the vendor contracts.
The linen service.
The forty percent overcharge.
"How many vendor contracts did Carter manage?" she asked.
Marcus turned to look at her fully now.
His expression was careful.
"Most of them.
Why?"
"Because the linen service is billing at double the market rate.
And Diane told me the vendor is a personal friend of Carter's."
The elevator reached the lobby.
The doors opened.
Neither of them moved.
"How many other contracts?" Abby asked.
Marcus reached over and pressed the door-open button.
"I'll pull the full vendor list tonight," he said quietly.
"And I'll compare it against market rates."
"How many contracts are we talking about?"
"Across all three properties?" He exhaled.
"Forty, maybe forty-five."
Abby stepped out of the elevator.
She turned back.
"Marcus.
Does Julian know the irregularities might still be active?"
Marcus looked at her.
The lobby hummed around them — marble floors, the soft sound of the building's ventilation, a security guard at the far desk not looking their way.
"He thought it ended when Carter left," Marcus said.
"It didn't end," Abby said.
"Carter just left someone else behind to keep collecting."
Marcus let the elevator door close.
He was already on his phone before she reached the street.
Abby walked to the subway entrance and stopped at the top of the stairs.
She thought about the folder on Julian's desk.
Victor's name at the top.
The note in Julian's handwriting: *Called.
Left message.
Waiting.*
She thought about a man who had spent eight years testing people for honesty — while someone inside his own house had been stealing from him for six years.
She went down the stairs.
May you like
She had a lot to learn about Carter Blaine.
And she suspected Carter Blaine was about to learn a great deal about her.
