Chapter 7 - Twenty Minutes Missing
The missing twenty minutes became the center of everything.
Not because anyone believed Thomas had been harmed.
His death had been ruled natural.
No evidence said otherwise.
Naomi insisted on that.
“Don’t build a murder story because the gap feels dramatic.”
Adrian looked at her.
“You always talk like this?”
“When people are angry? Yes.”
The recovered footage resumed.
Thomas left first.
Alive.
Calm.
Vanessa left eight minutes later carrying a folder.
That mattered enough.
The forensic accountant traced old invoices.
Brighton Advisory billed the foundation for events that never occurred.
North Crest billed transport that never happened.
Harbor Consulting billed “community research.”
All three routed through accounts connected to Graham Pike.
Then Daniel Reece’s company received confidential Cole Group bid data weeks after each payment.
Not direct proof.
But close.
Adrian felt betrayed in layers.
Vanessa had shared his table.
His bed.
His family grief.
His father’s funeral.
Naomi said:
“Don’t confuse access with love.”
He looked at her.
“Meaning?”
“People can feel something for you and still use you.”
That was worse.
Evelyn entered with another file.
The foundation’s longtime bookkeeper, Elena Alvarez, had been suspended that morning.
For “irregular approvals.”
Adrian stared.
“Who suspended her?”
The interim board chair.
Based on documents sent anonymously.
Naomi already knew.
“Vanessa is building a fall person.”
They called Elena.
She was crying.
“I didn’t sign those.”
The approvals looked identical to hers.
Digital certificate.
Password.
Timestamp.
She swore she never approved them.
Then she said:
“My token disappeared once.”
“When?”
“Last winter.”
“Who found it?”
Silence.
“Vanessa.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
The same pattern.
Plant.
Frame.
Document.
Then Naomi’s phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photo.
Her younger sister Leah walking into work.
Below it:
STOP DIGGING.
Naomi stared.
Adrian saw her face.
“What happened?”
May you like
She turned the screen toward him.
And for the first time, the investigation had followed Naomi home.
