Chapter 3 - MASON’S SECRET
My husband had told me he was laid off.
Three months earlier, Mason came home before lunch carrying a cardboard box.
His accounting firm had “restructured.”
That was the word he used.
Restructured.
He applied for thirty-seven jobs afterward.
Got four interviews.
No offers.
Now he was telling me Charles Price had caused it.
I stepped into the service hallway and called him.
He answered instantly.
“Where are you?”
“At work.”
“Stay where other people can see you.”
“Mason, what is going on?”
A pause.
“I should have told you.”
Those words are never good.
“Told me what?”
“I wasn’t laid off.”
My stomach dropped.
“What happened?”
“I was fired.”
“For what?”
“For refusing to change an audit report.”
The hallway suddenly felt too narrow.
“Whose audit?”
“Calder Hospitality.”
I leaned against the wall.
Mason had worked for a regional accounting firm that handled corporate compliance.
I knew his company audited hotels.
I never asked which ones.
“Charles Price’s division?”
“Yes.”
“What did you find?”
“Vendor payments.”
“How bad?”
“Bad enough that my supervisor told me to remove them from the report.”
“What kind of vendor?”
Mason hesitated.
“A company called Northline Guest Solutions.”
The name meant nothing.
“What do they do?”
“Officially? Consulting.”
“And unofficially?”
“They receive millions from Calder properties.”
“For what?”
“I couldn’t determine.”
My pulse quickened.
“Who owns it?”
“That’s the problem.”
“What?”
“The beneficial owner is hidden behind three LLCs.”
I heard our apartment door close on his end.
Then Mason lowered his voice.
“But one signature appears repeatedly.”
“Whose?”
“Charles Price.”
I closed my eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because my supervisor warned me Charles had friends all over hospitality. He said if I pushed, I’d never work in corporate accounting again.”
“And you thought hiding it from me would help?”
“I thought I could find another job before rent became a problem.”
Anger mixed with fear.
“We have three hundred twelve dollars.”
“I know.”
“Then maybe I deserved to know why.”
“I know.”
His voice broke.
That softened me only slightly.
Then he said:
“Lily, there’s more.”
Of course there was.
“I copied part of the audit.”
My entire body went cold.
“You what?”
“I knew they would bury it.”
“Where is it?”
“Not at home.”
“Where?”
“I put it in a safe deposit box.”
I heard footsteps behind me.
I turned.
Arthur stood at the end of the hallway.
He had followed me.
Not close enough to hear everything.
Maybe.
“Mason, I have to go.”
“Wait.”
“What?”
“If Arthur Calder is actually there, ask him one question.”
Arthur approached slowly.
“What question?”
Mason inhaled.
“Ask him why Northline Guest Solutions is registered to his dead wife.”
I stopped breathing.
Arthur saw my face.
“What happened?”
I lowered the phone.
“My husband wants me to ask you something.”
Arthur waited.
“Do you know Northline Guest Solutions?”
Every trace of warmth disappeared from his face.
“Where did you hear that name?”
“My husband.”
Arthur stared at me.
“What about it?”
“He says it’s registered to your wife.”
Arthur’s expression changed completely.
“My wife died eleven years ago.”
“I know.”
“No.”
His voice became almost a whisper.
“You don’t.”
I frowned.
“What?”
Arthur looked toward the dining room where Charles Price was standing.
Then he said:
“Northline was my wife’s company.”
My chest tightened.
“She created it before she died.”
“For what?”
May you like
Arthur’s eyes moved back to mine.
“To expose Charles Price.”
