Chapter 6 - The Boardroom Trap
The smoke filled the vault in less than a minute.
Maya covered her mouth with her sleeve.
Lena ran to the steel door and tried the emergency release. It did not move.
Ethan grabbed a metal chair and struck the control panel.
Sparks flew.
“It’s reinforced,” he said.
Daniel coughed.
“The ventilation system is connected to the old generator.”
“How long before we pass out?” Maya asked.
“Five minutes,” Lena replied.
“Then we have four.”
Maya looked around the vault.
The shelves were bolted to the walls. There was no window. The only exit was sealed.
Ethan struck the control panel again.
Nothing.
Daniel pointed toward the floor.
“Drainage tunnel.”
Maya followed his hand.
A circular metal cover was hidden beneath the desk.
They moved the desk together. Ethan pried up the cover with the chair leg.
Below was a narrow tunnel filled with black water.
“It leads to the river,” Daniel said.
“Does it open?” Lena asked.
“Eventually.”
“Eventually is not a plan.”
Maya took the memory card from her pocket and shoved it into the lining of her coat.
“Go,” she said.
Ethan looked at her.
“What about the box?”
Maya grabbed the ledger and recorder.
“Leave everything else.”
They climbed into the tunnel.
The water rose to Maya’s waist. The air smelled of oil and decay. Behind them, smoke continued pouring into the vault.
Ethan moved first, using his flashlight to guide them.
Daniel followed.
Maya came behind him, gripping the ledger against her chest.
At the far end, they found a rusted ladder.
Ethan climbed through a circular hatch and pulled them into an alley beside the river.
Rain struck their faces.
Maya collapsed against the wall.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Then Lena looked at Daniel.
“Who knew we were here?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Only Victor.”
Maya stared at the city lights.
Victor had known.
Victor had given them the location.
Or someone had taken the information from him.
By morning, Victor Hale had called an emergency board meeting.
The meeting was held on the forty-second floor of Northstar headquarters. Every board member attended in person except Helena Whitmore, who joined by video from her private residence.
Claire sat beside her.
Maya entered with Ethan, Lena, and Daniel.
The room erupted.
“What is he doing here?” Helena demanded.
“Daniel Cross is a witness,” Lena said.
Grant Ellison was also present, despite being suspended.
He had hired a lawyer overnight.
Victor sat at the head of the table, pale and exhausted.
Maya placed the ledger on the table.
“This contains payments made from the acquisition fund.”
Helena laughed softly.
“An old notebook proves nothing.”
“It proves enough to open a criminal investigation.”
Grant’s attorney stood.
“You have no legal authority to present this material.”
Lena turned toward him.
“I have more authority than you think.”
She placed a federal subpoena beside the ledger.
The room went silent.
Maya looked at Victor.
“Did you tell them about the vault?”
Victor’s eyes lowered.
“No.”
“Did you tell anyone where Daniel Cross was?”
“No.”
“Then how did the attackers know?”
Victor did not answer.
Ethan looked at his father.
“Dad?”
Helena leaned toward the camera.
“This is a ridiculous spectacle. A disgruntled former employee, a dishonest intern, and a dead man’s daughter are trying to destroy a legitimate business transaction.”
Maya looked at Claire.
“Why did you push me?”
Claire folded her arms.
“Because you were trespassing in a private executive area.”
“Did Helena ask you to?”
Claire’s expression changed.
Helena’s voice sharpened.
“Do not answer her.”
Maya smiled faintly.
“That’s interesting.”
“What is?” Claire snapped.
“Your grandmother told you not to answer.”
Claire glanced at the screen.
Helena’s face had become rigid.
Maya continued.
“The night my father died, Helena Whitmore was at the marina.”
Nobody moved.
Daniel’s voice was low.
“I saw her.”
Helena’s image flickered on the screen.
“That is impossible.”
“You were wearing a green coat,” Daniel said. “You spoke to Victor before he went onto the dock.”
Victor closed his eyes.
Maya turned to him.
“Is that true?”
Victor’s voice was barely audible.
“Yes.”
The room exploded with questions.
Ethan stood.
“You saw Helena at the marina?”
“I saw her arrive.”
“And you said nothing?”
Victor looked at his son.
“I thought she was there to speak with Samuel.”
“Did you see her leave?”
Victor’s mouth trembled.
“No.”
Helena suddenly disconnected from the video conference.
Claire rose.
“This meeting is over.”
“No,” Maya said. “It isn’t.”
Claire looked at her.
“You’re an intern.”
“Not anymore.”
Maya removed a document from her bag.
“The Reed Trust owns eighteen percent of Northstar’s voting shares.”
Victor stared at her.
“And the trust has filed an emergency motion to block the merger, remove Grant Ellison, and suspend the board’s authority to transfer any assets.”
Grant stood.
“That’s impossible.”
“It happened last night.”
Maya placed the document in front of him.
“The merger is frozen. The acquisition fund is under review. And the board must vote today on whether to cooperate with federal investigators.”
Claire’s face twisted with anger.
“You think one phone call makes you powerful?”
Maya met her eyes.
“No. The truth does.”
At that moment, every phone in the room vibrated.
A breaking news alert appeared.
WHITMORE FINANCIAL STOCK PLUNGES AFTER LEAKED REPORT ALLEGES FRAUD.
Claire looked at Helena’s empty screen.
Then she looked at Maya.
For the first time, Claire seemed genuinely afraid.
But Maya knew the worst was not over.
The leaked report contained only the financial records.
The evidence connecting Helena to Samuel’s death was still hidden.
May you like
And someone inside the company had just sent Maya a message.
I KNOW WHERE THE ORIGINAL VIDEO IS.
