Chapter 5: The Call From Charles
Richard called his brother a third time.
This time, Charles answered.
Richard immediately put the phone on speaker.
"Charles.""
A man's tired voice came through.
"Richard, don't do anything until I get there.""
Richard's eyes narrowed.
"Where are you?""
"Ten minutes away.""
Diane shouted from across the room.
"Charles!""
Silence came through the speaker.
Then Charles said, "Is Diane still there?""
Officer Martinez answered.
"Yes.""
Another silence.
"Good.""
Diane's face changed.
Not dramatically.
Just enough.
"Charles," she said, "tell Richard to stop this nonsense.""
His answer came slowly.
"No.""
Diane stared at the phone.
"What?""
"I'm coming.""
The call ended.
Richard looked at Diane.
She turned away.
I noticed her hand tighten around her purse.
Laura was still examining the fake disciplinary report.
"This isn't amateur work," she said.
"Whoever created it knows our internal forms.""
"Can you trace the login?"" Richard asked.
"IT can.""
"Call them.""
Kevin suddenly stepped forward.
"Do we really need to turn this into a corporate investigation tonight?""
Richard looked at him as though the question disgusted him.
"Someone just fabricated evidence to accuse Emily of theft.""
"I'm not defending that.""
"You've defended everything else.""
Kevin's face reddened.
"I have employees to protect too.""
Marcus laughed.
"From what? The truth?""
"From losing their jobs if this restaurant gets shut down!""
That silenced several staff members who had gathered near the kitchen doors.
Kevin saw their faces.
His tone softened.
"You all think Richard Hale is going to sweep in here and save everybody? Corporate doesn't care about you.""
Richard said nothing.
Kevin pointed toward him.
"When numbers go bad, people like him close locations. People like you lose jobs.""
I looked at Richard.
He didn't deny it immediately.
That bothered me.
"Would you?"" I asked.
His eyes met mine.
"If this restaurant is operating through fraud and retaliation, there will be consequences.""
"That's not an answer.""
"No.""
He paused.
"I won't promise something I haven't investigated.""
It wasn't comforting.
But at least it wasn't a lie.
The front doors opened again.
A man entered alone.
He looked enough like Richard that I knew instantly.
Charles Whitmore was older, heavier, with gray at his temples and exhaustion carved into his face.
Diane rushed toward him.
"Finally.""
Charles stopped before she reached him.
"Don't.""
She froze.
"Excuse me?""
"Don't come near me.""
Preston stood.
"Dad?""
Charles looked at his son.
Then at Diane.
Then at my face.
His shoulders seemed to collapse.
"Jesus.""
Diane crossed her arms.
"It was an accident that got out of control.""
Charles stared at her.
"You hit her.""
"She ruined my dress.""
"You hit an employee.""
"Don't start pretending you're some saint.""
Richard stepped forward.
"Good. You're both here.""
Charles looked at him.
"I know how this looks.""
Richard held up his phone.
"Do you?""
He showed him the spreadsheet.
Charles read it.
His face went pale.
"Where did you get this?""
"Your credentials.""
"I didn't create that.""
"Your name approved Emily's termination.""
"I didn't approve anything.""
Diane laughed softly.
"Of course you did.""
Charles turned toward her.
The hatred in his expression shocked me.
"Diane.""
"What?""
"Stop.""
Something deeper was happening between them.
Something that had started long before tonight.
Laura approached.
"Mr. Whitmore, your executive account was used minutes ago to upload a false disciplinary report accusing Emily of theft.""
Charles looked stunned.
"My account?""
"Yes.""
"From where?""
"We're tracing it.""
Diane interrupted.
"This is ridiculous. Charles was driving.""
Laura looked at her.
"I didn't say the access came from his phone.""
Diane stopped talking.
Richard caught it.
"So you know he has remote access from more than one device.""
Diane recovered quickly.
"I'm his wife.""
Charles gave a bitter laugh.
"Technically.""
Preston looked between them.
"What does that mean?""
Neither parent answered.
"Dad?""
Charles rubbed his face.
"Diane and I separated six weeks ago.""
Preston stared at him.
"What?""
"Quietly. We hadn't told you yet.""
Diane snapped, "Because there was nothing to tell.""
"I filed for divorce.""
The words hit her like a slap.
Preston stepped backward.
"You what?""
"Preston, I'm sorry.""
"You filed for divorce and didn't tell me?""
"I was trying to handle things carefully.""
Diane laughed.
"Carefully? You mean secretly.""
Charles looked at Richard.
"That's why I called you last month.""
Richard frowned.
"You told me you wanted to discuss restructuring the family holdings.""
"I did.""
"Because of the divorce?""
"Partly.""
Diane's expression sharpened.
"Be careful, Charles.""
He ignored her.
Then he looked at me.
"Emily, I need you to understand something. I didn't order your termination.""
"Then who did?""
He looked toward his wife.
Diane's face remained perfectly still.
Charles reached into his coat and removed his phone.
"For months, I've suspected someone was using my credentials.""
Richard stared at him.
"And you said nothing?""
"I couldn't prove it.""
"So you let employees get fired?""
"I didn't know about the employees.""
Marcus spoke from behind me.
"Anthony Brooks. Lena Morales. Roberto Vega.""
Charles looked genuinely confused.
"I don't know those names.""
Kevin suddenly moved toward the kitchen.
Officer Martinez noticed.
"Sir.""
Kevin stopped.
"Where are you going?""
"Bathroom.""
"You can wait.""
Kevin's face tightened.
Charles saw him.
"Kevin.""
Kevin looked at the floor.
Charles walked closer.
"Tell them.""
Diane snapped, "Don't you dare.""
That was enough.
Richard looked between them.
"Tell us what?""
Kevin closed his eyes.
Then he whispered, "Mrs. Whitmore paid me.""
My stomach turned.
"For what?"" I asked.
Kevin looked directly at me.
"To make problems disappear.""
"People," Marcus corrected.
"You made people disappear.""
Kevin flinched.
Richard's voice was ice.
"How much?""
"Sometimes five thousand. Sometimes ten.""
Diane laughed.
"He's lying to save himself.""
Kevin reached into his pocket.
He removed his phone.
"I kept records.""
Diane's confidence finally broke.
"You idiot.""
Kevin looked at her.
"No, Diane. I was an idiot when I trusted you.""
He unlocked the phone.
"There are payments. Messages. Names.""
Richard held out his hand.
But before Kevin could give him the phone, Diane lunged forward.
She ripped it from his hand.
Then she hurled it toward the floor.
Officer Martinez caught her wrist before she could stomp on it.
The phone landed beneath a table.
Marcus grabbed it.
The screen was cracked.
But still glowing.
A message notification had just appeared.
It was from an unknown number.
Kevin stared at it.
"That's him.""
Richard frowned.
"Who?""
May you like
Kevin's face went gray.
"The person Diane was really working for.""
