Chapter 7 - The Real Target
Sophia had inherited thirty-one percent of Atelier Cole from her mother. Over the years, she had quietly purchased another twenty percent from early investors who wanted out.
The transfer Edward mentioned would have raised her ownership to seventy-one percent.
Only three people knew.
Sophia.
Edward.
And the company’s outside attorney.
Grant should never have seen those papers.
“Why would he care how much I own?” Sophia asked.
Detective Ortiz answered before Edward could.
“Because fraud gets harder when control changes.”
Sophia looked at the frozen image of Grant photographing the documents.
If he knew she would soon hold an overwhelming majority, he would also know she could order a full forensic audit without board approval.
The humiliation in the salon suddenly looked different.
Monica had not simply judged Sophia by her clothes.
She may have recognized her.
Or been told to provoke her.
“Pull footage from the minute I entered,” Sophia said.
Ortiz did.
There it was.
Sophia walked through the front doors at 2:14 p.m.
Monica saw her from across the salon.
Her expression changed for only a second.
Then she looked down at her phone.
A text arrived.
The camera could not read it.
Thirty seconds later, Monica approached Sophia with a glass of water.
Edward stood so fast his chair scraped the floor.
“She knew.”
“Maybe,” Sophia said.
Ortiz held up a hand. “We prove things. We don’t assume them.”
Sophia respected that.
Then Maya called.
Her voice shook.
“Someone is outside my apartment.”
Sophia stood.
“Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“Lock the door. Don’t open it.”
“I already did.”
A loud bang sounded through the phone.
Maya gasped.
Another bang.
May you like
Then a man shouted from the hallway:
“Maya, we only want the backup copy.”
