Chapter 5 - The Billionaire Who Knew My Brother
Arthur Pendleton had hired me eighteen months earlier.
He'd authorized the investigation.
Paid Croll Associates.
And insisted that I remain personally involved.
I'd believed he wanted to protect his four-billion-dollar investment pool.
Now I wondered whether he'd brought me into the investigation because of Ethan.
I turned toward him.
"Did you know my brother?"
Arthur's expression changed.
For the first time that evening, he looked uncomfortable.
"Khloe—"
"Yes or no?"
He lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
My stomach tightened.
"You knew Ethan Jenkins?"
Arthur nodded.
"He worked for a bank I chaired."
I stared at him.
"And you knew he disappeared?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
Arthur took a slow breath.
"Because I didn't know whether he was alive."
I almost laughed.
"That's not an answer."
He nodded.
"You're right."
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Six years ago, Ethan discovered suspicious transfers connected to Croft Capital."
I folded my arms.
"Go on."
"He believed Croft was using pension assets as collateral for private loans."
"Which he was."
"Yes."
Arthur looked toward the window.
"Ethan brought the information to our compliance department. Two weeks later, he disappeared."
I stared.
"What did you do?"
"I contacted the authorities and ordered an internal review."
"And?"
"Several records had been deleted."
My chest tightened.
"By whom?"
"We never established that conclusively."
I looked at him.
"And you never told my family?"
Arthur's expression softened.
"Your family was told Ethan had died. I was advised not to interfere with an active investigation."
I shook my head.
"You could've told us he had been investigating Croft."
"Yes."
His voice broke slightly.
"I should have."
I stepped backward.
For eighteen months, I'd trusted Arthur's judgment.
Now I realized he'd been withholding information that could've changed my entire life.
"Why hire me?"
He met my eyes.
"Because your work was exceptional."
"That's not the whole truth."
"No."
I waited.
Arthur looked ashamed.
"I also hoped you'd find what the earlier investigations missed."
The words hurt.
"You used me."
He didn't argue.
"I gave you a case with a personal connection you didn't know about. I should have disclosed it and let you decide."
I looked away.
Then Caroline interrupted.
"Khloe, there's something you need to understand."
I turned.
She was staring at Arthur.
"Richard knew you'd been hired before you ever went undercover."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
Caroline nodded.
"He received your name from someone at Croll Associates."
I stared.
That was worse.
Someone inside my own investigation firm had compromised my identity.
Then Arthur's phone rang.
His expression changed as he read the message.
"What is it?" I asked.
He turned the screen toward me.
A surveillance photograph showed Ethan entering a private elevator.
The timestamp was from that morning.
The location was Manhattan.
May you like
And the building belonged to Croll Associates.
My employer.
