Chapter 2 - The Warehouse Ledger
Claire returned at seven the next morning carrying coffee and a sealed envelope.
Dominic was already in his office.
“You found proof?”
“I found a problem.”
“That is not the same thing.”
“It is worse.”
She placed photographs across his desk.
The South Side warehouse appeared abandoned from the street.
Inside, it contained medical supplies, counterfeit shipping seals, and crates bearing Valenti Maritime codes.
Dominic studied one photograph.
“Who took these?”
“I did.”
“You went there alone?”
“Yes.”
“That was reckless.”
“It was efficient.”
“It could have gotten you killed.”
Claire pushed another photograph toward him.
“So could ignoring this.”
The image showed a crate marked as emergency hospital equipment.
Inside were unregistered firearms.
Dominic’s face hardened.
“My companies do not move weapons.”
“Someone believes they do.”
He called Caleb Moreno, head of corporate security.
“Lock down every shipping database.”
Claire interrupted.
“Do not.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Why?”
“If Gabriel knows we found the warehouse, he will erase the trail.”
“You think he controls security too?”
“I think you should stop assuming loyalty is the same as innocence.”
Caleb entered moments later.
Dominic handed him the photographs.
“Did you know?”
“No.”
“Who has access to these shipping seals?”
“Gabriel, operations, and me.”
Claire asked, “Can seals be duplicated?”
“Not without internal codes.”
“Then someone inside security helped.”
Caleb’s jaw tightened.
Dominic said, “Trace every entry quietly.”
After he left, Claire opened the sealed envelope.
“This arrived at my apartment.”
Inside was a photograph of Claire leaving the warehouse.
On the back, someone had written:
ACCOUNTANTS SHOULD COUNT, NOT QUESTION.
Dominic stood.
“You are moving to a secure location.”
“No.”
“That is not negotiable.”
“It is my life.”
“And now someone connected to my family has threatened it.”
Claire folded her arms.
“Your guilt does not give you authority over me.”
“It gives me responsibility.”
“No. It gives you motivation.”
He stared at her.
“You argue about everything.”
“Only when you are wrong.”
Before Dominic could answer, his phone rang.
Gabriel’s voice came through.
“We have an emergency. Federal customs officers seized two Valenti containers.”
“On what basis?”
“Weapons trafficking.”
Dominic looked at Claire.
Gabriel continued.
“The board is gathering.”
“We will be there.”
At the emergency meeting, Gabriel stood beside the screen.
“This is an attack by competitors.”
Claire raised one hand.
“It is not.”
Several directors looked down.
Gabriel smiled thinly.
“Ms. Bennett, this is not an accounting seminar.”
“No. It is a criminal exposure meeting.”
Dominic said, “Let her speak.”
Claire displayed the North Bridge payments.
“These funds financed the warehouse.”
Gabriel’s expression remained calm.
“My authorization was forged.”
“Then you will support an independent forensic review.”
“Of course.”
“And surrender your devices.”
His smile disappeared.
“That is unnecessary.”
Dominic leaned forward.
“Give Caleb your phone.”
Gabriel looked at him.
“After everything I have done for you?”
“That is not an answer.”
Gabriel placed the phone on the table.
Caleb examined it.
A message had been deleted less than one minute earlier.
Claire asked, “Can you recover it?”
“Yes.”
The recovered message contained five words.
MOVE THE GIRL BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
Dominic turned toward Gabriel.
“What girl?”
Gabriel said nothing.
Caleb received another alert.
A Valenti employee had been taken from the accounting floor.
Claire read the name.
“Jenna Morris.”
Her closest colleague.
Dominic stood.
Gabriel smiled.
“You wanted proof.”
Claire looked at him.
“No. You wanted leverage.”
May you like
Gabriel’s voice became colder.
“Bring me the warehouse ledger, Claire, or Jenna disappears permanently.”
