Chapter 6 - THE MAN IN THE OFFICE
The second person entered through the side door wearing a baseball cap and carrying a laptop bag.
Olivia paused the footage.
Adrian leaned toward the screen.
“I know him.”
Clara did too.
“Martin Hale,” she said.
Mercer's former controller.
Adrian had fired Martin eighteen months earlier after an audit uncovered unauthorized reimbursements. Vanessa had fought the firing harder than anyone.
“She said he made one paperwork mistake,” Adrian murmured.
Clara crossed her arms. “Apparently she missed him.”
The footage showed Vanessa leading Martin into Adrian's home office. At 2:51 a.m., Martin came out holding a small black device.
Adrian recognized it as one of his encrypted backup drives.
“Son of a—”
He stopped himself when Olivia looked at him.
“Sorry.”
“It's okay,” Olivia said. “This seems like a swear situation.”
Despite everything, Clara almost smiled.
Adrian noticed and felt a sharp ache in his chest.
The next morning, Detective Reyes returned with a warrant for the home security archive. She watched the office footage twice.
“Mr. Mercer, do you know what data was on that drive?”
“Corporate financial backups. Contracts. Vendor approvals. Executive signatures.”
“Could someone use it to forge transactions?”
“With the right knowledge.”
“And Hale had that knowledge?”
“Yes.”
Reyes looked at Clara. “Mrs. Mercer, when did Vanessa learn you were investigating Northlight?”
“Yesterday afternoon.”
“And within twenty-four hours, she accuses you of trying to harm your child.”
Clara's mouth tightened. “Looks that way.”
Reyes closed her notebook.
“We're going to request search warrants for Vanessa's apartment, devices, and financial records.”
Adrian asked, “What about Emma?”
“The child-endangerment investigation is active.”
“And Clara?”
Reyes looked at him for a beat too long.
“Your wife is the victim in that incident.”
He knew she meant more than the stroller.
After the detective left, Adrian found Clara packing a suitcase in the bedroom.
His heart lurched.
“What are you doing?”
“Going to my sister's.”
“For how long?”
“I don't know.”
“Clara, please.”
She zipped the suitcase.
“I saved Emma's life, and you hit me for it.”
“I know.”
“No. I don't think you do.”
She lifted the suitcase from the bed.
Then Olivia appeared in the doorway holding an envelope.
“Clara, wait.”
She looked terrified.
“This came for you yesterday. Aunt Vanessa took it out of the mailbox.”
Clara stared at the envelope.
May you like
Across the front, in block letters, were five words:
STOP LOOKING INTO NORTHLIGHT. NOW.
