“Come in.”
Victor entered.
He walked with the confidence of someone accustomed to entering rooms without being invited.
Richard closed the door.
“Sit.”
Victor sat across from him.
Margaret remained standing.
Daniel stayed near the wall.
Richard took his seat.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Richard said, “You were at the loading dock.”
Victor looked mildly surprised.
“Was I?”
“Daniel says he saw you there.”
“I visit many places.”
“Without a badge?”
Victor smiled.
“Sometimes.”
Margaret frowned.
“That isn't an acceptable answer.”
Victor turned toward her.
“Then perhaps you should ask a better question.”
Richard raised one hand.
“Margaret.”
She stopped.
Richard leaned forward.
“Let's try this again.”
Victor nodded.
“Please.”
“Who authorized your access to this building?”
Victor's expression became unreadable.
“I have authorization.”
“From whom?”
“I don't believe that's your concern.”
Richard smiled.
“Actually, it is.”
Victor leaned back.
“You've built quite an impressive company, Mr. Bennett.”
Richard said nothing.
Victor continued.
“Twenty-six years. Twelve employees when you started. Over thirty thousand now across multiple divisions.”
Margaret's eyes narrowed.
Richard remained still.
“How do you know that?”
“Public information.”
“Some of that isn't public.”
Victor didn't answer.
Richard looked at Daniel.
“Did you ever give him access to internal areas?”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Victor smiled faintly.
“Then perhaps someone else did.”
Richard's expression hardened.
“That is precisely what I'm trying to determine.”
Victor stood.
“I don't think you understand what's happening.”
“Then explain it.”
“I can't.”
“Won't?”
Victor looked at him.
“Can't.”
Richard studied him carefully.
There was fear in Victor's eyes.
Not much.
But enough.
The man wasn't afraid of Richard.
He was afraid of someone else.
Richard had spent decades negotiating with people who lied for money, power, reputation, and survival. He had learned that the most valuable information often came from what frightened a person rather than what they wanted.
Victor was afraid.
The question was why.
Richard stood.
“Who is pressuring you?”
Victor's jaw tightened.
“No one.”
“That's your second lie.”
Victor looked toward the door.
Richard followed his gaze.
“You should leave,” Victor said quietly.
Richard frowned.
“Why?”
“Because you're already being watched.”
Margaret went pale.
Daniel immediately looked toward the hallway.
Richard remained calm.
“By whom?”
Victor shook his head.
“I can't tell you.”
“Then why come here?”
Victor hesitated.
“To warn you.”
“About what?”
Victor looked directly at Richard.
“Your company.”
Then he left.
Richard did not stop him.
The door closed.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Margaret finally spoke.
“What was that?”
Richard looked at Daniel.
“I don't know.”
Daniel stood.
“Mr. Bennett, I should probably tell you something.”
Richard turned toward him.
“What?”
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“I've seen Victor Hale before.”
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“You said you didn't know him.”
“I didn't know his name.”
“Where did you see him?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“Where?”
“The executive floor.”
Margaret stared at him.
“Three weeks ago?”
Daniel nodded.
“He came up through the service elevator.”
“Why didn't you stop him?”
“I tried.”
“What happened?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Someone called security.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
Richard's voice became colder.
“What did they say?”
“That Mr. Hale was expected.”
Richard walked back to his desk.
“Who was he meeting?”
“I don't know.”
“Where did he go?”
“Forty-third floor.”
Margaret looked confused.
“There's no executive office on forty-third.”
“I know.”
Richard stopped.
“What is on the forty-third floor?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Archived records.”
Richard looked at her.
“Anything else?”
“Old corporate files. Legal storage. Some unused conference rooms.”
Richard's expression changed.
“Who has access?”
“Senior executives. Legal. Internal audit.”
“And security?”
“Limited access.”
Richard walked toward the window.
The forty-third floor was directly above them.
For years, he had barely thought about it.
It was one of the least-used floors in the building.
But suddenly, something about it felt wrong.
“Margaret.”
“Yes?”
“Call Internal Audit.”
She reached for her phone.
Richard stopped her.
“No.”
She looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because if someone inside the company is involved, I don't want them to know we're looking.”
Margaret lowered the phone.
“So what do we do?”
Richard looked at Daniel.
“We go upstairs.”
Daniel's eyes widened.
“To the forty-third?”
“Yes.”
“Right now?”
Richard nodded.
Daniel looked nervous.
“Sir, there may be a problem.”
“What?”
“The service elevator doesn't appear on the regular access system.”
Richard turned.
“Why?”
“It was installed during the building renovation. It's mostly used for records and maintenance.”
“Who controls it?”
“Facilities.”
“Who is in charge of Facilities?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Thomas Mercer.”
Richard's expression changed.
Thomas Mercer.
The name was familiar.
Very familiar.
Chapter 4
Thomas had been with Whitmore for fourteen years.
He was quiet, competent, and almost never involved in office politics.
Richard had always considered him dependable.
“Call Thomas,” Richard said.
Daniel pulled out his phone.
“No.”
Richard looked at him.
“Why not?”
“Because if Thomas is involved, he'll know we're coming.”
Margaret looked between them.
“You think Facilities is involved?”
Richard shook his head.
“I think we don't know anything yet.”
He walked to the office door.
“That's the problem.”
They left together.
The executive hallway was unusually quiet.
Richard noticed several cameras mounted in the ceiling.
He stopped beneath one.
“Daniel.”
“Yes?”
“When was this camera installed?”
Daniel looked up.
“I don't know.”
Richard examined it.
“That's interesting.”
“What?”
“The model.”
Daniel frowned.
“What about it?”
“It isn't one of ours.”
Daniel looked surprised.
“Are you sure?”
Richard nodded.
“Our security system was upgraded two years ago. These cameras are older.”
Margaret looked around.
“How many are there?”
Daniel counted.
“Five.”
Richard's face hardened.
“Five cameras that aren't connected to our system.”
They continued toward the service elevator.
When they reached it, Daniel pulled out his security card.
The reader flashed red.
“Access denied.”
He tried again.
Red.
Richard took out his own card.
He swiped.
The reader turned green.
The doors opened.
Margaret stared at him.
“You've never used this elevator before.”
“No.”
“Then how did your card work?”
Richard looked at the access panel.
“I don't know.”
Daniel stepped inside.
The elevator doors closed.
The lift began moving upward.
But instead of stopping at the forty-third floor, it continued.
Forty-four.
Forty-five.
Forty-six.
Margaret looked at the panel.