Chapter 9 - THE MENTOR WHO NEEDED HER GONE
Adrian Keller had always protected Natalie.
At least, that was the story she believed.
He recommended her for promotion.
Defended her during a difficult merger.
Sent flowers when Lily was born.
Told Derek at a Christmas party:
“Your wife is the reason this company still has discipline.”
Now his electronic signature sat on a clinical-data correction that might have concealed something serious enough to justify destroying Natalie’s life.
Hawthorne’s board suspended Adrian immediately pending review.
He did not protest.
That frightened Natalie.
He simply asked to speak with her.
Alone.
She refused.
Outside counsel stayed present.
Adrian appeared on secure video from his home.
Seventy-one.
Silver hair.
Calm eyes.
He looked tired.
“Natalie.”
“Did you pay Derek?”
“No.”
“Did Ethan?”
“Yes.”
“On your instructions?”
“No.”
“Then whose?”
Adrian looked at the lawyer.
“I need protection.”
Natalie stared.
“From who?”
He ignored the question.
“The Riverside data problem was real.”
Her heart sank.
“What was wrong?”
“Adverse-event reporting.”
“How bad?”
Adrian hesitated.
“Bad enough to stop the acquisition.”
Natalie felt rage.
“Then why did you correct the report?”
“I didn’t.”
“Your signature.”
“Forged.”
Of course.
Another forged signature.
The entire story seemed built from stolen identities.
“Who could use your credentials?”
“Clinical operations.”
“Names.”
“Several.”
“Give me the important one.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Dr. Rebecca Sloan.”
Natalie knew her.
Riverside Therapeutics’ medical director.
Not Hawthorne.
The target company.
“If Riverside falsified trial data…”
“The deal value collapses.”
“And potentially regulatory investigations.”
“Yes.”
“Why would Ethan help?”
“He has equity exposure.”
“Derek?”
“Money.”
“Patricia?”
“Money.”
“Madison?”
“Money.”
“And you?”
Adrian looked insulted.
“I was trying to stop it.”
Natalie laughed.
“By staying quiet?”
“Yes.”
That answer surprised her.
“Why?”
“Because they threatened my son.”
Natalie went still.
“Who?”
“My son works at Riverside.”
“What does he do?”
Adrian’s face tightened.
“Biostatistics.”
Natalie understood.
He had access to raw trial data.
“Did he discover the manipulation?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
Adrian looked down.
“Missing.”
The room went silent.
“How long?”
“Five days.”
Natalie felt cold.
“Why didn’t you call police?”
“I did.”
“Then why isn’t this connected?”
“He disappeared from Mexico.”
A conference.
Different jurisdiction.
Messy.
Convenient.
“Name?”
“Joshua Keller.”
Melissa searched.
Thirty-six.
Biostatistician.
Riverside Therapeutics.
Then something flashed in Natalie’s memory.
One anonymous email.
Seven months earlier.
Subject:
LOOK AT SUBJECT 4417.
Natalie had ignored it initially.
Then used it to identify the trial discrepancy.
She never knew who sent it.
“Joshua emailed me.”
Adrian stared.
“What?”
“He started this.”
She pulled the archived message.
Metadata.
Anonymous relay.
Attachment.
Participant 4417 adverse-event table.
Adrian’s eyes filled with tears.
“He was trying to warn you.”
Natalie felt the weight of it.
Someone had targeted her because she noticed what Joshua wanted her to notice.
Then her family had been recruited to discredit her.
Her marriage had become part of a corporate cover-up.
“How did they know Derek would cooperate?”
Adrian looked at her.
“That’s what you should be asking.”
Natalie stared.
“What?”
“They didn’t approach him randomly.”
“Who recommended him?”
Adrian hesitated.
“Someone knew your marriage was vulnerable.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not enough.”
Adrian leaned closer.
“Natalie, Ethan wasn’t the first person inside Hawthorne connected to Derek.”
Her pulse jumped.
“Who was?”
Adrian looked terrified.
“Your predecessor.”
Natalie froze.
Previous CFO.
Martin Hale.
Retired suddenly six years earlier.
Official reason:
Health.
She had taken his position.
“What did Martin have to do with Derek?”
Adrian’s voice dropped.
“They were business partners.”
Natalie stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“Before you married Derek.”
Her blood went cold.
She and Derek had been married fourteen years.
Martin had apparently known him before that.
“Business in what?”
Adrian answered:
“Debt collection.”
Natalie almost laughed.
“Derek never worked in debt collection.”
“Yes, he did.”
“What kind?”
Adrian’s face darkened.
“Private.”
Then Natalie understood why Derek always avoided discussing his twenties.
Why Patricia described his old jobs vaguely.
Why Rhett accused the family of using intimidation.
“What happened to Martin?”
Adrian looked at her.
“He didn’t retire.”
“What?”
“He disappeared.”
Natalie stopped breathing.
May you like
“When?”
“Three days before the board named you CFO.”
