Chapter 8 - The Security Director
Marcus did not run.
That helped him.
He also did not lie for long.
Naomi put the Ashford photo in front of him.
“Explain.”
“I followed Claire.”
Adrian’s hands curled into fists.
“Why?”
“Because your father asked me to.”
Thomas Cole had died eighteen months earlier.
Before Vanessa and Adrian were engaged.
Marcus explained that Thomas suspected confidential information was leaking from the Foundation.
At first, he feared Claire’s addiction had made her vulnerable to blackmail.
So he ordered Marcus to verify whether anyone was following her.
Then Thomas died before the investigation was completed.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Adrian asked.
“Vanessa said your father had become paranoid near the end.”
Naomi asked:
“And you believed her?”
“No.”
“I wanted to.”
Vanessa later convinced Marcus the Ashford surveillance involved a private investigator hired to protect Claire from tabloids.
He accepted the explanation.
Then his administrator password was used to disable cameras.
“Did you give Vanessa access?”
“No.”
“Did you ever leave your security token unattended?”
“Her birthday dinner.”
He had left his jacket in Adrian’s study for twenty minutes.
Marcus produced Thomas Cole’s unfinished file.
Inside were vendor lists.
And a handwritten note:
V.S. ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT FOUNDATION BOARD RIGHTS.
Adrian stared at his father’s handwriting.
Another line:
DO NOT ACCUSE YET. WATCH.
The final note was dated five days before Thomas died.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, GIVE THIS TO ADRIAN.
“I never saw that page.”
“Where was the file?” Naomi asked.
“In my locked safe.”
“Who knew the combination?”
“Me.”
“And Thomas.”
Naomi looked at the safe log.
It had been opened twice after Thomas’s death.
Once using an emergency override code.
“I never opened it.”
Someone wanted another false trail.
Then Evelyn whispered:
“Thomas’s emergency codes were kept in his desk.”
“Who cleared his desk after the funeral?” Naomi asked.
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“Vanessa.”
Adrian looked away.
Naomi turned the final page of Thomas’s file.
An envelope was taped inside.
On it:
May you like
ADRIAN — IF YOU’RE READING THIS, I WAS RIGHT ABOUT HER.
The envelope was empty.
