Chapter 10 - The Signature
The money had left Thorne Holdings under Marcus’s digital authorization.
His name.
His executive code.
His encrypted signature.
Everything appeared legitimate.
Marcus stared at the transfer record for nearly a minute.
“I didn’t approve this.”
Gabriel crossed his arms.
“We’ve heard that before tonight.”
“I’m telling you the truth.”
Khloe looked at him.
“The problem is that you spent years making the truth impossible to recognize.”
Marcus absorbed the sentence without argument.
Detective Price continued.
“The first payment was authorized eleven months ago.”
Khloe’s eyes narrowed.
“The same month the affair started.”
“Yes.”
Marcus looked at Isabella.
She shook her head.
“I didn’t know about payments.”
Price turned toward Voss.
“You did.”
Voss demanded his attorney.
The interview stopped.
But Gabriel’s financial investigators kept working.
At two in the morning, they found something.
Marcus’s executive credentials had first been copied during a board retreat in Aspen.
Only seven people had access to the secure conference room.
Marcus.
Gabriel.
Three directors.
Voss.
And Marcus’s father.
Richard Thorne.
Marcus went still.
“No.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“You know something.”
Marcus shook his head.
“My father wouldn’t do this.”
Khloe remembered Richard.
Elegant.
Controlled.
Always polite.
Never warm.
He had congratulated her pregnancy with a kiss on the cheek and immediately asked whether the baby was a boy.
When Khloe said yes, Richard had smiled longer than necessary.
“It finally continues,” he had said.
At the time, she thought he meant the family.
Now she wondered what else he meant.
Marcus called his father.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Gabriel ordered security to locate Richard.
Elaine entered moments later.
“Mr. Mercer.”
“What?”
“Richard Thorne is downstairs.”
Marcus looked relieved.
Then Elaine continued.
“He arrived with six attorneys.”
The relief disappeared.
Richard entered the security level fifteen minutes later.
He wore a charcoal suit despite the hour.
His white hair was perfectly combed.
His expression remained calm until he saw Khloe.
“My God.”
He approached.
“Are you all right?”
Khloe did not answer.
Richard stopped.
“What is this?”
Gabriel pushed the transfer records toward him.
Richard glanced down.
Then at Marcus.
“Explain yourself.”
Marcus stared at his father.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.”
Richard’s expression became offended.
“You think I stole your credentials?”
“I think someone did.”
Richard laughed quietly.
“This entire situation has become hysterical.”
Khloe watched him carefully.
Then Detective Price placed one final image on the table.
A still frame from the gala’s parking garage.
Richard’s face disappeared of all expression.
The photograph showed him standing beside Dr. Voss.
The timestamp was 7:03 p.m.
May you like
Less than an hour before Rebecca Lane’s badge was stolen.
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