Chapter 8 - The Assistant Who Opened the Door
"Why?" Adrian asked.
Owen set his resignation letter on the desk.
"My dad's business failed last year. I borrowed money. Celeste said she could make the debt disappear. Then she said she'd tell you I stole from the company if I didn't help."
"Did you steal?"
"No. But I sent her things I wasn't allowed to send. That's bad enough."
Adrian wanted to shout. Instead he looked toward Brooks, who was taking notes.
"Tell the detective everything," he said.
Owen explained that Celeste asked him to export old personnel records, trustee signature pages, and meeting templates. He had assumed she was preparing wedding-related legal paperwork.
"You didn't think it was strange she wanted my mother's signature?"
"I did. I looked away."
Naomi watched him and heard the same excuse in different words. Every person in the house had looked away at least once. Evelyn had paid the price.
Owen handed Brooks a printed list of reimbursements he had found while packing his desk.
One payment went to a consulting business linked to Dr. Wren. Another went to an unfamiliar company called Alder Bridge Services.
"I never approved those," Adrian said.
"Martin approved them," Owen replied. "Celeste sent the requests."
Brooks asked Owen to preserve his messages and stopped him from deleting the resignation draft.
"Your cooperation matters," she said. "But it doesn't undo what you did."
"I understand."
On the last page Naomi found SETTLEMENT - N. CARTER.
Five hundred thousand dollars.
"What's this?" she asked.
Owen blinked. "I thought you got a severance package."
"I didn't even know I was being fired."
Brooks leaned closer. "That account isn't on your payroll file."
May you like
Then she looked at Adrian.
"Someone has prepared a paper trail that makes Naomi look paid for her silence."
