Chapter 5 - Somebody Used My Name
I called my director before I finished reading the message.
"Claire," Mark said, "don't access anything. Legal is already involved."
"I was at my wedding at 2:13 a.m."
"Your credentials were used."
"From where?"
"A hotel network."
Daniel had taken my laptop bag upstairs while I stayed with the photographer.
"What was exported?"
Mark hesitated.
"Archived Northstar files."
Of course.
Someone had used my work access to make it look like I stole the same records Harold was desperate to keep buried.
Maya was already taking notes.
"Tell your company to preserve login logs, device IDs, camera footage, everything."
I repeated it.
Mark exhaled. "Claire, were you investigating Carter Meridian privately?"
"No."
"Then why is your new husband on camera entering the business center with your laptop bag?"
"You have footage?"
"The hotel sent it ten minutes ago."
Daniel. Not Harold.
I ended the call and dialed him.
He answered on the first ring.
"Claire, finally."
"Did you take my laptop into the hotel business center?"
Silence.
"What?"
"Don't lie."
"Dad needed me to print something."
"Using my laptop?"
"I didn't know your password."
That was the wrong answer.
"I didn't ask whether you knew it."
He cursed softly.
"Claire, come home. We can explain everything."
"Explain why my credentials were used to export Northstar files?"
His breathing changed.
Then he said, "You need to stop listening to my mother."
"Why?"
"Because she destroyed one person with this obsession already."
"Who?"
"Martin Hales. Our old CFO."
Evelyn stood.
"That's a lie."
Daniel heard her voice.
"She's with you?"
"Yes."
He went quiet.
Then he whispered, "Claire, get away from her before she shows you the video."
I stared at Evelyn.
"What video?"
Her face drained.
May you like
Maya turned back to the safe-deposit box.
Under the empty folders was a second flash drive we had missed.
