He turned another page.
"Who established Northbridge Consulting?"
Robert's expression hardened.
"I don't know."
"Who owned it?"
"I don't know."
"Who authorized the settlement payment to Margaret?"
"That was handled by the legal department."
Richard closed the folder.
"Interesting."
Robert shifted in his chair.
"Richard, I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish."
"I'm trying to understand why a woman who worked for this company for twenty years was accused of stealing money without being allowed to defend herself."
Robert's voice became sharper.
"We had a responsibility to the shareholders. We couldn't allow sentiment to interfere with financial security."
"Sentiment?"
Richard repeated the word quietly.
"Is that what you called loyalty?"
Robert looked away.
Richard stood.
"I want the original accounting records, the server logs, and all communications between your office and the legal department from that period."
Robert immediately shook his head.
"That's unnecessary. The matter was settled."
"No. It was buried."
The room remained silent.
Richard continued.
"Effective immediately, you are suspended from all financial oversight responsibilities pending an independent investigation."
Robert stood abruptly.
"You can't do that."
"I just did."
"Richard, we've worked together for nearly three decades."
"I know."
"You trust me."
Richard looked directly into his eyes.
"That's precisely why this is so difficult."
Robert collected his documents.
"This is a mistake. You're allowing an emotional encounter with a former employee's daughter to cloud your judgment."
Richard did not move.
"Her mother is dead, Robert."
Robert paused.
"Yes. I heard."
"She died believing I had abandoned her."
Robert's face revealed almost nothing.
"That's unfortunate."
Richard stared at him.
"Unfortunate?"
Robert picked up his briefcase.
"There's nothing more I can say."
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he turned.
"Be careful, Richard. There are things in that investigation you may not want to uncover."
The door closed.
Daniel looked at Richard.
"Sir, did you hear that?"
Richard nodded.
He had heard it.
And for the first time, he was certain that Margaret's dismissal had been no simple accounting error.
Robert was afraid.
And frightened men often made mistakes.
At 5:30 p.m., Richard received a call from an unfamiliar number.
He answered.
"Richard Whitmore."
A woman's voice responded.
"Mr. Whitmore, my name is Susan Parker. I was Margaret Ellis's attorney in 2017."
Richard immediately sat up.
"Yes. I remember seeing your name in the documents."
"I've been trying to contact you for several days."
"Why?"
There was a brief silence.
"Because I recently learned that you were asking questions about Margaret's dismissal."
Richard glanced toward Daniel.
"Who told you?"
"Emily."
He paused.
"You've spoken to her?"
"Yes. She called me after your flight."
Richard was surprised.
Emily had not mentioned that she intended to contact anyone.
Susan continued.
"Mr. Whitmore, there is something you need to understand. Margaret never signed the original settlement voluntarily."
Richard gripped the phone.
"What?"
"She was pressured into accepting it. The company threatened to pursue criminal charges and seize what little money she had left."
"Why didn't she challenge it?"
"She tried. But the company presented documents suggesting that the transfer had been authorized using her credentials. We couldn't afford the forensic experts needed to challenge the evidence."
Richard closed his eyes.
"Was there anything else?"
Susan hesitated.
"Yes."
"What?"
"Margaret told me that she had discovered irregularities in the company's financial accounts several months before she was dismissed."
Richard stood.
"What kind of irregularities?"
"Money was being transferred through several consulting firms. She believed someone inside the company was diverting funds."
"Did she identify the person?"
"She said she had evidence, but she didn't trust anyone in the executive office."
Richard looked toward Daniel.
"Do you still have her files?"
"I have a small number of copies. Most of the original documents were seized during the investigation."
"Can I see them?"
"There's one condition."
"Name it."
"I want an independent attorney present. I don't want the documents disappearing or being altered."
Richard nodded.
"Agreed."
Susan gave him an address.
Before ending the call, she added something else.
"Mr. Whitmore?"
"Yes?"
"Margaret never hated you."
Richard's eyes filled.
"She didn't?"
"No. She was disappointed. Very disappointed. But she believed you had been manipulated."
He struggled to speak.
Susan continued.
"She told me that you had once been a good man. She thought that if you ever discovered the truth, you would try to make things right."