Chapter 2 - THE MAN I TRUSTED MOST
Daniel Price had saved my life twice.
Once in Atlanta, when a rival's men tried to intercept one of our vehicles.
Once outside a warehouse in Charlotte, when he dragged me to safety during an armed confrontation.
For fourteen years, I had trusted him with things I would never trust anyone else to handle.
Now his name appeared on the same financial account that had swallowed Annie Carter's medical assistance.
Daniel stared at me.
"Nathan, I can explain."
I looked at him.
"Then explain."
He took a slow breath.
"Three years ago, Patricia asked me to sign documents authorizing a vendor account. She said it was part of the employee medical assistance program."
"And you didn't review them?"
"I did. The company appeared legitimate."
"Did you receive money?"
His expression changed.
"No."
"Did you know employees were being denied benefits after payments had already been issued?"
"No."
I studied him.
Daniel had lied to enemies.
He had lied to competitors.
He had even lied to police investigators while protecting our business interests.
But he had never lied convincingly to me.
And right now, I couldn't tell whether he was telling the truth.
"You're suspended from financial access until the auditors finish."
He flinched.
"Nathan—"
"Every account. Every authorization. Effective immediately."
For a moment, hurt flashed across his face.
Then he nodded.
"Understood."
I turned away.
"Cooperate with Rebecca. Give her everything."
Daniel left without another word.
I stood beside the window, watching the estate grounds disappear beneath the evening rain.
My organization controlled millions in assets.
Yet an eighteen-year-old girl had spent four months begging for enough money to walk without pain.
And the people I'd trusted to protect my employees had failed her.
My phone rang.
Rebecca.
"I found something else," she said.
"Go ahead."
"Patricia's company received twenty-nine medical disbursements. But those aren't the only payments."
My jaw tightened.
"What else?"
"Education assistance. Emergency housing. Transportation grants."
"How much?"
"Approximately one point eight million dollars over three years."
I closed my eyes.
"How many employees?"
"At least ninety-four."
Ninety-four people.
Ninety-four families.
I thought about the housekeepers who worked holidays.
The warehouse staff who took overnight shifts.
The security guards who missed birthdays because they needed overtime.
They had all helped build my fortune.
And someone had stolen the benefits meant to protect them.
"Find every victim," I said.
"We will."
Then Rebecca hesitated.
"Mr. Graves, there's something unusual about Annie Carter's file."
I looked up.
"What?"
"Her medical claim was processed differently from the others."
"How?"
"Patricia personally overrode the standard review."
"Why?"
"We found a note attached to the approval."
Rebecca read it aloud.
Priority case. Subject must remain financially dependent. Do not release funds directly.
My stomach tightened.
"Subject?"
"That's the word used."
I stared at the rain.
Annie wasn't simply another employee whose benefit had been stolen.
Someone wanted her dependent.
Someone wanted her desperate.
"Rebecca, find out who requested that note."
"I'm already working on it."
Twenty minutes later, she called again.
Her voice was tense.
"Nathan, Annie Carter didn't apply for this job through our normal recruitment process."
I frowned.
"Then how was she hired?"
"Her application was manually inserted into the system."
"By Patricia?"
"No."
"Who?"
Rebecca took a breath.
"Your late father's private office."
I went completely still.
May you like
My father had been dead for nine years.
And someone had used his credentials to bring Annie Carter into my house.
