Chapter 4: The Signature
For several seconds, I couldn't stop staring at the name.
Charles Whitmore.
The same man Richard had called his brother.
The same man Diane had thrown into the conversation like a weapon.
And apparently, the man who had approved firing me before I'd even spilled the wine.
"Tomorrow's date," I whispered.
"They were already going to fire me.""
Richard enlarged the spreadsheet.
"Looks that way.""
Kevin pushed away from the chair.
"This isn't what it looks like.""
I turned on him.
"You've said that three times tonight.""
"Emily—"
"Why was I being fired?""
Kevin glanced at Diane.
She was standing several feet away with Officer Martinez, but she was watching us closely.
"Performance issues.""
Marcus laughed.
"Name one.""
Kevin's jaw tightened.
"Stay out of this.""
"No," I said.
"Name one.""
He couldn't.
I stepped closer.
"Late shifts?""
Nothing.
"Customer complaints?""
Silence.
"Write-ups?""
Kevin rubbed his forehead.
"Your personnel file isn't something I'm discussing in the dining room.""
"Because there's nothing in it.""
Richard looked at him.
"Is she correct?""
Kevin didn't answer.
Richard took out his phone.
"Then we'll ask HR.""
That frightened Kevin more than the police had.
"Wait.""
Richard stopped.
Kevin lowered his voice.
"Charles called me this afternoon.""
My stomach dropped.
"About me?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Kevin looked at Preston.
The young man was sitting with his head down, one hand still pressed against the cheek his mother had slapped.
"Because Preston complained again.""
I felt something inside me go cold.
"Three weeks ago?""
"No.""
Kevin hesitated.
"This morning.""
I stared at Preston.
"You complained about me today?""
He didn't look up.
"I didn't know you'd be fired.""
"Then what did you think would happen?""
"I don't know.""
"Yes, you do.""
Diane called across the room.
"Preston, don't answer her.""
Officer Martinez immediately said, "Mrs. Whitmore, stop interfering.""
Richard turned back to Kevin.
"What exactly did Charles say?""
Kevin swallowed.
"He said Emily had become a problem.""
"A problem how?""
"He didn't explain.""
"And you didn't ask?""
Kevin gave him a helpless look.
"When Charles Whitmore calls, people don't ask many questions.""
Richard's expression hardened.
"I do.""
Kevin looked away.
Richard held up the spreadsheet.
"Who created this?""
"I don't know.""
"Who has access?""
"Corporate HR. Regional management. Senior ownership.""
"And Diane?""
"No.""
Marcus muttered, "Not officially.""
Richard heard him.
"What does that mean?""
Marcus pulled out his phone again.
"Kevin used to leave his tablet unlocked in the office.""
Kevin snapped, "Marcus.""
"I'm done protecting you.""
Marcus searched through his photos.
Then he held one up.
It showed Diane sitting behind Kevin's desk.
She was holding the company tablet.
The date in the corner was six months earlier.
Richard stared at it.
"Why was she in the office?""
Kevin's shoulders dropped.
"Charles asked me to accommodate her.""
"Accommodate her?""
"Those were his words.""
Richard looked toward Diane.
She smiled at him.
Not warmly.
It was the smile of someone who believed she still had one card nobody else knew about.
"You should call your brother," she said.
Richard's expression went flat.
"Why?""
"Because you're making decisions with incomplete information.""
"Then complete it.""
She shook her head.
"Ask Charles.""
Richard stared at her for another moment before walking toward the quiet end of the bar.
He dialed.
I could hear the ringing.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Voicemail.
Richard called again.
Same result.
Diane's smile widened.
"He won't answer you.""
"Why not?""
"Because he knows you're angry.""
Richard slipped the phone into his pocket.
"Or because he knows he's caught.""
For the first time, Diane's smile faltered.
Officer Martinez approached me.
"Emily, we're going to need a full written statement.""
"Of course.""
"And I'd recommend photographing your face before the swelling changes.""
Marcus immediately offered to help.
He took several photos under the bright bar lights.
Seeing my own face on his screen made everything real again.
Five red finger marks crossed my cheek.
I looked away.
Richard noticed.
"Don't.""
I glanced at him.
"Don't what?""
"Don't be embarrassed by evidence of something someone else did.""
Before I could answer, the front door opened.
A woman in a black coat hurried inside carrying a laptop bag.
Kevin went rigid.
"That's Laura from corporate HR.""
Laura Bennett crossed the room quickly.
"Mr. Hale.""
"Laura.""
She looked around.
Police.
Broken glass.
Diane.
Preston.
Then me.
Her face changed when she saw my cheek.
"What happened?""
Richard handed her his phone.
"Start with the spreadsheet.""
She read it.
Her eyebrows pulled together.
"Where did you get this?""
"Corporate server.""
"That's impossible.""
"Why?""
Laura looked at Kevin.
"Because this isn't our termination system.""
Everyone went silent.
Richard's voice lowered.
"Explain.""
"Our official records don't look like this.""
"Then what am I looking at?""
Laura opened her laptop.
"Give me thirty seconds.""
She logged in.
Typed quickly.
Then stopped.
"Emily Carter?""
"Yes.""
Laura searched my name.
She turned the screen.
My employee profile appeared.
ACTIVE.
No disciplinary warnings.
No termination notice.
Nothing.
"You're not scheduled for termination," Laura said.
I pointed toward Richard's phone.
"Then what is that?""
"I don't know.""
Richard leaned over the laptop.
"Search Lena Morales.""
Laura did.
Then Anthony Brooks.
Then Roberto Vega.
All three showed the same strange pattern.
Official HR records said they had resigned voluntarily.
Marcus shook his head.
"That's a lie.""
Laura looked at him.
"You're certain?""
"I watched Kevin fire Anthony.""
Every eye turned toward Kevin.
He backed away.
"I was instructed to classify it that way.""
"By whom?"" Richard asked.
Kevin said nothing.
Richard stepped closer.
"By Charles?""
Kevin's breathing became shallow.
"Answer me.""
Before he could, Laura suddenly leaned toward her laptop.
"Wait.""
"What?""
"Someone just accessed Emily's employee file.""
I moved beside her.
"Right now?""
"Yes.""
Laura refreshed the page.
A new line appeared in the activity log.
REMOTE ADMIN ACCESS.
Then another.
DOCUMENT UPLOADED.
Laura opened it.
A disciplinary report filled the screen.
It accused me of stealing cash from a customer's table.
My mouth fell open.
"I never did that.""
Laura looked at the timestamp.
"This was created forty-three seconds ago.""
Richard slowly turned toward Diane.
May you like
She wasn't smiling anymore.
Then Laura whispered, "Whoever is doing this is logged in under Charles Whitmore's executive credentials.""
