Chapter 7 - The Woman They Had Been Watching
Faith Whitmore wasn't afraid of losing her job anymore.
She was afraid of what might happen if the men who stole her wages discovered what her mother had left behind.
When I told her Lucas had been watching her building, she went pale.
Then she became angry.
"Who gave him the right?"
"Nobody."
She folded her arms.
"Then why has he been doing it?"
I took a breath.
"Because he believes you have records connected to Northstar."
Faith stared at me.
"Records?"
"Something your parents kept."
She looked down.
Then slowly opened her bag.
"My mother left a box."
I waited.
"I never looked inside because it was full of old paperwork."
"Do you still have it?"
"Yes."
I nodded.
"Please don't bring it to me. An independent attorney can help you preserve it safely."
Faith studied my face.
For a moment, she seemed surprised.
"You aren't ordering me to hand it over?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it's yours."
She looked away.
Then said something I deserved to hear.
"You own the company that took money from us."
I swallowed.
"Yes."
"You trusted the people who did it."
"Yes."
"And now you want me to believe you're helping?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Then I said, "You don't have to believe me. I'll make the relevant records available to the investigators, and you should have your own lawyer."
Faith nodded slowly.
"That sounds better."
Later, her attorney arranged for the box to be examined and documented.
Inside were old pay statements, contracts, warehouse receipts, and a small digital drive.
One folder contained payroll records from Mercer Coffee Group.
Another contained transactions from Northstar.
The final folder was labeled:
DANIEL — IF FAITH ASKS.
Faith watched as an authorized specialist opened a video file.
Her father appeared on the screen.
Older than in the photograph she remembered.
His hair was gray.
His face looked exhausted.
But he was unmistakably alive.
Faith covered her mouth.
"Dad?"
On the recording, Daniel took a shaky breath.
My sweet girl, if you're watching this, I'm sorry.
Tears streamed down Faith's cheeks.
I made decisions that put our family in danger.
When I discovered what Lucas Mercer was doing, I tried to stop it.
He threatened your mother and you.
Faith began sobbing.
Then her father continued.
I agreed to disappear because I believed that would keep you safe.
I looked down.
It was a terrible choice.
One that had left his daughter grieving him for eight years.
The recording ended with Daniel looking directly into the camera.
Faith, the man who arranged my disappearance still works for Ethan Mercer.
A pause.
But Marcus Voss isn't the person giving the orders.
The screen went black.
Then Faith's attorney opened one last file.
A transaction report identified the account used to finance the warehouse operation.
Its administrator was listed as:
May you like
ETHAN MERCER.
And unlike the forged promotion document, this authorization contained my real signature.
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