Chapter 1 - THE NOTEBOOK THAT EXPOSED A TERRIBLE SECRET
The moment Thomas Whitmore finished his phone call, Annie Carter realized she might have just made the biggest mistake of her life.
Because Eleanor Bennett wasn't simply the woman who controlled her paychecks.
She controlled everything inside the Whitmore mansion.
And she had made sure every employee understood what happened to people who questioned her authority.
"Annie."
Thomas's deep voice brought her back.
"Look at me."
She slowly lifted her eyes.
"You're not in trouble."
Her fingers tightened around her grandmother's red scarf.
"Mrs. Bennett said we weren't supposed to discuss our hours with anyone."
Thomas's expression darkened.
"Did she specifically tell you not to speak to me?"
Annie hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"Why?"
"She said you didn't want to be bothered with servants' problems."
For several seconds, Thomas said nothing.
Then he closed the blue notebook.
"I want you to understand something. I don't consider my employees' wages a nuisance."
Annie swallowed.
"I didn't mean to cause trouble."
"You didn't."
His voice softened.
"Someone else did."
Thomas moved toward the chapel window.
Outside, snow covered the hospital courtyard.
He had come to St. Catherine Medical Center to visit an old business associate recovering from surgery.
He had never expected to find one of his employees crying alone in a chapel.
And he certainly hadn't expected to discover that someone inside his household might be stealing from the people who kept his home running.
His phone vibrated.
Daniel Price, his financial director.
"Mr. Whitmore, I've pulled the preliminary payroll records."
Thomas turned slightly away.
"What did you find?"
A pause.
Then Daniel said something that made Thomas straighten.
"Sir, according to the system, Annie Carter hasn't worked at your mansion for the past six months."
Thomas looked directly at her.
"What?"
"Her employment status was changed to inactive in June."
Thomas frowned.
"Then who's been receiving her wages?"
Another pause.
"The payments were redirected to a separate account."
"Whose account?"
"We're still tracing it."
Thomas lowered the phone.
Annie stared at him.
"Is something wrong?"
He looked at her carefully.
"Annie, how do you normally receive your paycheck?"
"Direct deposit."
"Every two weeks?"
She nodded.
"Usually. Sometimes it's late."
"Who gives you the pay statements?"
"Mrs. Bennett."
"Do you have copies?"
Annie reached into her bag.
She pulled out several folded envelopes.
Thomas examined them.
Each contained a printed payment summary bearing the Whitmore household logo.
But something was wrong.
The documents looked different from the company's official payroll statements.
Thomas photographed them and sent them to Daniel.
Seconds later, Daniel called again.
"Sir, those aren't our forms."
Thomas's jaw tightened.
Annie felt her stomach sink.
"What does that mean?"
Thomas turned toward her.
"It means someone may have been paying you privately while redirecting the wages you actually earned."
Annie stared.
"Why would anyone do that?"
Before Thomas could answer, his phone lit up with an incoming message.
Unknown number.
He opened it.
A photograph filled the screen.
It showed Annie sitting beside her sleeping grandmother in Room 318.
The picture had been taken less than an hour earlier.
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Beneath it was a warning.
STOP INVESTIGATING THE PAYROLL, THOMAS. OR THE GIRL'S GRANDMOTHER WON'T SURVIVE CHRISTMAS.
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