Chapter 6: The Account Number
Ruth was in the kitchen, writing in a small notebook she kept in her apron pocket.
She looked up when Norah came in.
Norah set her phone on the counter with the message visible.
Ruth looked at it.
Then she looked at Norah.
"Where did that come from?"
"I don't know."
Ruth picked up the phone.
Read it again.
Set it back down.
"Sit," she said.
Norah sat.
Ruth poured two cups of coffee, set one in front of her, and remained standing on the other side of the counter.
She was quiet for long enough that Norah understood she was deciding something.
"That account number," Ruth said finally.
"I've seen it twice before in the last fourteen months.
Both times on invoices that came through the household system and were redirected before Mr.
Mercer's monthly review."
"Redirected by Valerie?"
"The changes were made from Ms.
Whitmore's login credentials." Ruth picked up her coffee.
"The first time, I brought it to the previous coordinator.
She said she'd look into it.
Two weeks later she gave her notice."
Norah absorbed that.
"How much are we talking about?"
"Across the three invoices including this week's — just over forty thousand dollars."
The kitchen was very quiet.
"Ruth.
Why are you telling me this?"
Ruth set her cup down.
"Because someone sent you that message.
Which means someone already knows.
Which means it's going to come out regardless." She paused.
"And because I've worked in this house for eleven years, and I'm tired of watching things disappear."
"Does Dominic know?"
"I don't believe so.
His financial oversight is handled through a separate firm.
The household accounts are considered administrative — below the threshold his team reviews closely."
"So she's been counting on that."
"She's been counting on a great many things." Ruth looked at her directly.
"The question is what you intend to do with what I've just told you."
Norah thought about the file on her personal drive.
"I need documentation.
The original invoices, the redirect records, the account details."
"I have copies.
I've kept them." Ruth said it simply, without drama.
"I kept them because I didn't know who to give them to.
Or whether giving them to anyone would simply make things worse."
"Can you get them to me today?"
Ruth nodded once.
"There's something else," she said.
"The account the money goes to — I ran the number through a property search last year.
Out of curiosity." She paused.
"It's registered to a holding company.
The holding company has one listed officer."
"Who?"
Ruth looked at her steadily.
"A man named Marcus Hale.
He's been Dominic's attorney for nine years."
The sound of heels on the floor above them moved from one end of the house to the other.
Both women looked at the ceiling.
Then Ruth picked up her notebook and walked to the back of the kitchen.
"I'll have the copies to you within the hour," she said, without turning around.
"Don't put them on the household system."
Norah looked down at her phone.
The anonymous message was still on the screen.
She thought about who in this house would know about that account.
Who would have access to the redirect records.
Who would want her to find them — and why now, after fourteen months of silence.
She thought about Carter.
About the way he had said *an introduction* and looked at her as though she was already part of something she hadn't agreed to yet.
She picked up her phone and typed back a single word.
*Why?*
The reply came in less than thirty seconds.
*Because she's planning to move the rest of it.
All at once.
Before the engagement ends.*
Norah read the message twice.
Before the engagement ends.
She set the phone face-down on the counter and stared at the wall.
The engagement was ending.
May you like
Which meant Valerie already knew.
And forty thousand dollars was not the number Norah needed to be worried about.
