ONLY ONE PERSON EVER TRIED TO EXPOSE VALE.
Malcolm stared at the screen.
A second message appeared.
HER NAME WAS ANDREA COLE.
Then a third.
SHE DIDN'T RESIGN.
Malcolm stood.
Another message arrived.
Malcolm read the address twice.
It belonged to a small apartment complex outside Chicago.
Evelyn looked over his shoulder.
"Where did you get that?"
"Unknown number."
"Don't reply."
Malcolm already had.
WHO ARE YOU?
The typing indicator appeared.
Then vanished.
No answer.
Flight 418 had been cleared for departure.
But Malcolm no longer cared about quarterly reports.
Something larger had just boarded with him.
During the flight, he called Reed Capital's independent investigations counsel.
Not Northstar legal.
Not Northstar HR.
Not Richard Vale's office.
Independent counsel.
Her name was Sandra Pierce.
Malcolm told her everything.
By the time Flight 418 landed in Chicago, Sandra had assembled a small external team.
"Do not confront Vale," she warned.
"I wasn't planning to."
"Good."
"I'm planning to ask questions."
"That's confronting him in a suit."
Malcolm almost smiled.
Almost.
Sandra continued.
"Let me verify the address."
"How long?"
"Give me one hour."
"You have thirty minutes."
"Malcolm."
"Thirty."
She sighed.
"Fine."
He ended the call.
At baggage claim, Denise caught up with him.
She was off duty now, wearing a long black coat over her uniform.
"Mr. Reed."
"Malcolm."
She hesitated.
"I wanted to thank you."
"For what?"
"For not leaving."
He studied her.
"You shouldn't have to thank the chairman for refusing to tolerate discrimination."
"You'd be surprised."
"I am."
She nodded.
"That's the problem."
Malcolm slipped his phone into his pocket.
"Tell me about Andrea."
Denise glanced around.
"Not here."
They moved toward a quieter seating area.
"Andrea was my closest friend at Northstar," Denise said.
"She was fearless. Too fearless."
"Meaning?"
"She documented everything."
"About Parker?"
"About Parker. Vale. Scheduling abuses. Retaliation. Passenger complaints."
Malcolm leaned forward.
"What happened?"
"She told me she had enough to force an outside investigation."
"When?"
"Six years ago."
"And then?"
"She met with Richard Vale and HR."
Denise's voice lowered.
"After that meeting, she stopped answering my calls."
"You never saw her again?"
"Once."
Malcolm waited.
"Three weeks later. Parking garage."
"What did she say?"
"She told me to forget her."
Malcolm frowned.
"Exact words?"
"She said, 'Denise, if you love your children, forget you ever knew me.'"
A chill moved through him.
"Did she look frightened?"
"Terrified."
"What happened afterward?"
"Her number changed. Her apartment emptied. HR told us she resigned."
Malcolm looked at his phone.
"Except HR says she was terminated."
Denise nodded.
"Exactly."
Malcolm asked, "Why didn't you pursue it?"
Her face tightened.
"I had two daughters."
No more explanation was needed.
His phone rang.
Sandra.
"I checked the address."
"And?"
"Andrea Cole lives there."
Malcolm stood.
"Now?"
"As of three months ago."
"Good."
"Not good."
He stopped.
"Why?"
"Someone else has been paying the rent."
"Who?"
Sandra paused.
"Northstar Airways."
Malcolm's expression hardened.
"Through what department?"
"Executive discretionary account."
"Whose authority?"
"I'm tracing it."
"Richard Vale?"
"Possibly."
"Possibly isn't enough."
"That's why you pay me."
Malcolm looked at Denise.
"I'm going there."
Sandra immediately objected.
"No."
"I didn't ask."
"Malcolm, if someone has been quietly paying this woman's rent for years, you don't know what kind of situation you're walking into."