Chapter 5 - The Woman Nobody Suspected
Declan’s voice became almost expressionless.
“Mother.”
Eleanor Shaw entered.
“Everyone looks exhausted.”
Marcus stepped toward the door.
Declan stopped him.
“No.”
Eleanor smiled faintly.
“Am I under arrest now?”
“No one said that.”
Clara watched her.
Eleanor looked at the laptop.
Then at Clara.
“You’re clever.”
Clara’s stomach tightened.
“You were connected to my account.”
“Was I?”
“The device disconnected when you entered.”
Eleanor put her phone on the desk.
“Check it.”
Clara did.
Nothing.
No corporate access software.
No hidden credentials.
Declan looked at Clara.
She shook her head.
Eleanor sat.
“Now perhaps we can stop accusing everyone who walks through the door.”
But Clara noticed something.
“Your phone is new.”
Eleanor glanced at it.
“Yes.”
“When did you get it?”
“Yesterday.”
“What happened to the old one?”
“I lost it.”
Declan stared at her.
“Where?”
“At the foundation luncheon.”
Clara and Marcus exchanged looks.
Sullivan’s wife had attended that luncheon.
Clara asked, “Was Diane Sullivan there?”
Eleanor’s face changed.
“Yes.”
“Did she sit beside you?”
“For most of lunch.”
There it was.
Clara stood.
“Diane.”
Declan frowned.
“Sullivan’s wife?”
“She wasn’t insulting me because she thought I was beneath her.”
Clara remembered dinner.
Diane had known exactly who she was.
So, you’re Clara.
“She was studying me.”
Marcus said, “Why?”
“Because she’s involved.”
Clara searched visitor logs.
Diane Sullivan had entered Shaw headquarters fourteen times in three years.
Most visits were recorded as charity meetings with Eleanor.
Several occurred on the exact dates of compromised shipments.
Declan called security.
“Find Diane Sullivan.”
The answer came quickly.
Her car had just entered the underground garage.
Clara looked up.
“She came here?”
Declan’s eyes narrowed.
“Because she doesn’t know we know.”
Minutes later, Diane entered the conference room.
Her confidence disappeared when she saw Richard, Marcus, Clara, and Declan waiting.
“Declan?”
He closed the door.
“Sit.”
Diane remained standing.
“Where’s Victor?”
“You tell me.”
“I haven’t seen him since dinner.”
Clara watched her hands.
Perfectly manicured fingers.
Trembling.
Clara said, “Northlake Industrial Consulting.”
Diane went white.
Declan noticed.
“Interesting.”
“I don’t know what that is.”
Clara placed the ledger down.
“Then why did you react?”
“I didn’t.”
“You did.”
Diane turned on her.
“This is ridiculous. You’re a secretary.”
Clara smiled slightly.
“You keep making that mistake.”
Declan almost smiled too.
Diane looked toward him.
“Declan, control your employee.”
He leaned back.
“I’ve spent three years discovering that controlling Clara is impossible.”
Clara gave him a look.
“Not helping.”
“Continue.”
She faced Diane.
“You stole Eleanor’s phone yesterday.”
Diane’s expression cracked.
“You copied her administrator authentication.”
Silence.
“You and Victor have been using my calendar to track Declan’s operations.”
“No.”
“You knew about Harbor Twelve.”
“No.”
“You knew about the eleven million.”
Diane stood.
“I’m leaving.”
Declan’s voice stopped her.
“Sit down.”
She sat.
Clara placed several transaction records before her.
“Victor threatened my mother.”
Diane looked genuinely surprised.
“He what?”
That reaction was different.
Clara saw it.
“You didn’t know.”
Diane closed her eyes.
Something collapsed inside her.
“He promised nobody would get hurt.”
Declan leaned forward.
“Then start talking.”
Diane whispered, “Victor owes Moreau thirty million dollars.”
Richard stared.
“How?”
“Gambling. Investments. Loans. I don’t know anymore.”
“So he stole from me.”
“He thought he could replace it.”
“By selling my routes?”
Diane began crying silently.
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
Clara didn’t believe her.
“Diane.”
The woman looked at her.
“Victor threatened my mother.”
Clara’s voice remained steady.
“If you protect him now, you’re protecting what he does next.”
Diane looked at Declan.
Then Clara.
Finally she whispered an address.
Marcus immediately stood.
Declan followed.
Clara grabbed her coat.
“No.”
Declan blocked her.
“You stay here.”
“You need me.”
“I needed your brain.”
“And?”
His expression softened.
“I’m not risking the rest.”
Clara stared at him.
“You don’t get to decide that.”
“Tonight I do.”
“Why?”
He hesitated.
For the first time since she had known him, Declan Shaw looked genuinely uncertain.
“Because somewhere between hiring you to notice things and watching you walk toward that chair tonight…”
He stopped.
Clara waited.
“…you became something I can’t treat like an employee anymore.”
Neither Marcus nor Richard moved.
Clara’s heart pounded.
“This is a terrible time to say that.”
“I know.”
“Possibly the worst.”
“I know.”
She stepped closer.
“Come back.”
Declan’s eyes stayed on hers.
“That an order, Ms. Hayes?”
“No.”
Her voice softened.
“It’s a request.”
Declan nodded once.
May you like
“That I can follow.”
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