Chapter 2: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
The police separated us before anyone could leave.
Marcus was escorted toward a private meeting room. Kayla went with a female officer, still clutching a tissue against her cheek.
Emily stayed beside me while a paramedic examined my jaw.
"Possible fracture," he said after checking my face.
"You should go to the hospital.""
"I'll go after I give my statement.""
"Daniel," Emily said, "you need to listen to him.""
"I'm listening.""
"You're bleeding through the napkin.""
I looked down.
She was right.
The white cloth was red around the edges.
The woman in green approached us.
"I'm Claire Bennett," she said.
"I represent several employees connected to the Reed Foundation.""
Emily frowned.
"Connected how?""
Claire glanced at the officers.
"Can we speak somewhere quieter?""
I looked at her.
"You said Noah's mother used to work for the foundation.""
"She did.""
"Why did she leave?""
Claire lowered her voice.
"Because she discovered something she wasn't supposed to see.""
Before I could ask another question, a police officer approached.
"Mr. Hayes? We need your statement.""
I gave him my full name, address, and a description of what had happened.
He took notes while I explained that Kayla had deliberately collided with me, slapped herself, and torn her own clothing.
"Did you have any interaction with Miss Reed before tonight?""
"No.""
"Any argument? Any previous personal relationship?""
"No.""
"Any reason she might have singled you out?""
I hesitated.
"Not that I know of.""
The officer studied me.
"Mr. Hayes, I need you to understand that an accusation of this nature is serious. So is the assault. We'll review the recording and speak to the other witnesses.""
"Good.""
"Mr. Reed claims you threatened his daughter.""
I almost laughed.
"What exactly did he say?""
The officer checked his notes.
"He said you told him you would make him regret accusing you.""
"I told him he was about to make a serious mistake. That was before he punched me.""
"Did you threaten physical harm?""
"No.""
He wrote something down.
"All right. We'll contact you.""
As he walked away, Emily exhaled.
"I can't believe this happened.""
I looked across the ballroom.
People were still gathered in nervous clusters. Some had returned to their tables, but no one was eating. The orchestra had disappeared. A waiter was cleaning broken glass near the dance floor.
"This isn't over," I said.
Emily's eyes followed mine.
"No. It isn't.""
Claire returned with a woman in a hotel uniform.
The woman was in her early forties, with tired eyes and dark hair pulled into a tight bun.
She stopped in front of Noah.
"Baby, you shouldn't have run into the ballroom like that.""
"I had to help him, Mom.""
His mother closed her eyes.
Then she hugged him.
I recognized her from the way Noah had spoken about her.
"You must be Daniel Hayes," she said.
"Yes.""
"I'm Rachel Cole.""
She shook my hand carefully, avoiding the blood on my sleeve.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you.""
"Your son may have just saved me from being arrested.""
Rachel looked down at Noah.
"He shouldn't have had to.""
Claire crossed her arms.
"Rachel, we need to talk about the recording.""
Rachel's expression tightened.
"Not here.""
"Where, then?""
"My apartment.""
Claire glanced at the police.
"They may want to speak with you.""
"I'll cooperate. But I'm not discussing the foundation in front of Mr. Reed's employees.""
I looked at her.
"What does any of this have to do with me?""
Rachel studied me for a moment.
"Your sister works at the children's clinic.""
My stomach tightened.
"Yes.""
"Which means you're closer to this than you realize.""
Emily stepped forward.
"Rachel, what are you talking about?""
Rachel looked at her.
"Three months ago, I was an accounts coordinator for the Reed Foundation. I handled vendor payments for the clinic.""
Emily's face changed.
"You handled clinic payments?""
"Yes.""
"Then you know about the missing equipment.""
Rachel nodded slowly.
"Not just equipment.""
Claire glanced toward the ballroom entrance.
"We should leave.""
Rachel shook her head.
"There's something else.""
She turned to me.
"The foundation has been using the children's clinic as a cover for payments to companies that don't provide medical supplies.""
Emily went still.
"That's impossible.""
"I wish it were.""
"My director told us the funding was delayed because of a paperwork issue.""
"That's what they told everyone.""
Emily took a step closer.
"Are you saying the donations were never reaching us?""
Rachel lowered her eyes.
"Some did. Enough to keep the clinic open and make the accounts look normal. But millions were transferred through companies that don't exist.""
I looked at Claire.
"Do you have proof?""
"Some," she said.
"Rachel has copies of payment records. We were preparing to submit them to investigators.""
"Then why hasn't anyone done that?""
Rachel laughed once, without humor.
"Because the people who signed those transfers have powerful friends.""
Emily looked sick.
"How long have you known?""
"Since I left.""
"Why didn't you come to the clinic?""
"I tried.""
Emily stared at her.
"What?""
Rachel looked at Noah.
"Two weeks ago, I went there to speak with your director. He told me I was no longer welcome on the property.""
Emily's jaw tightened.
"Dr. Palmer said nothing about this.""
Rachel's silence was answer enough.
I looked toward Marcus's private room.
"Is this why Kayla targeted me?""
Rachel shook her head.
"I don't know. But I recognized your name.""
"From where?""
"Your sister's employment records.""
Emily looked confused.
"Why would she have Daniel's name?""
Rachel opened her phone and searched for something.
"Because someone requested your emergency contact information.""
She turned the screen toward us.
A spreadsheet appeared.
Several employee names were listed, with contact details beside them. Emily's name sat near the top.
Under emergency contact was my name.
Daniel Hayes.
Beside it was a date.
Three weeks earlier.
I stared at the screen.
"Who requested this?""
Rachel pointed to a column near the right edge.
"Kayla Reed.""
Emily stepped back.
"Why would she be looking at my brother?""
Rachel scrolled down.
There were more employee names.
Several had been highlighted in yellow.
At the bottom was a note.
*Potential pressure points — family contacts.*
My fingers curled.
"They were looking for leverage.""
"Yes," Rachel whispered.
Emily looked at the spreadsheet as if it had suddenly become something poisonous.
"But I haven't done anything.""
Rachel spoke carefully.
"You asked questions about the missing supplies.""
Emily's face went pale.
"What?""
"You asked Dr. Palmer why the clinic had stopped receiving certain medications. You questioned the invoices. You asked why we had paid a company that didn't have a physical address.""
"I asked because we were short on supplies!""
"I know.""
Emily's voice trembled.
"Kids were waiting for equipment. We had to send families home because we couldn't provide basic treatment.""
Rachel nodded.
"I know.""
I looked at my sister.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Emily turned toward me.
"Because I didn't think it was anything. I thought it was administrative incompetence.""
"Emily—"
"I didn't want you worrying.""
I looked at the spreadsheet again.
My name wasn't on it by accident.
They had searched for it.
They had known who I was before I walked into that ballroom.
A thought settled in my stomach.
"Kayla didn't just bump into a random guest tonight.""
Claire nodded.
"That's what I'm beginning to think.""
A police officer approached Rachel.
"Ma'am, we need you to come with us for a statement. And we'd like your son to stay with you.""
Rachel nodded.
"Of course.""
Noah looked up at me.
"Are you going to be okay?""
I managed a small smile.
"I think so.""
He glanced at my injured face.
"You should put ice on it.""
"I'll remember that.""
He hesitated, then held up his phone.
"The video is safe. I sent it to my mom, too.""
Rachel touched his shoulder.
"Come on, sweetheart.""
Before they left, I looked at her.
"Rachel. One more question.""
She stopped.
"Did Marcus know you had these records?""
Her face went still.
"Yes.""
"How do you know?""
"Because the day I resigned, he came to my office.""
She swallowed.
"He closed the door, placed a check on my desk, and told me it was enough money to start over somewhere else.""
"What did you say?""
"I refused.""
"And then?""
"Then he told me that people who couldn't be bought usually ended up wishing they had been.""
She took Noah's hand.
"And now my son has a video that could destroy his daughter.""
Rachel and Noah left with the officer.
Emily stood beside me, staring at the floor.
"Daniel, I think I've made a terrible mistake.""
"What?""
"I signed something.""
I turned.
"When?""
"Last month. Dr. Palmer gave me a document confirming that all medical supplies had been delivered. He said it was routine.""
"Had they been delivered?""
She shook her head.
"Not all of them.""
My jaw throbbed.
"Why did you sign it?""
"Because he said it was just a receipt for the foundation. He told me the missing items were delayed, not canceled.""
Claire looked at Emily.
"Did you keep a copy?""
Emily nodded slowly.
"In my email.""
"Then don't delete anything.""
I pulled my phone from my pocket.
"Forward it to yourself. And to a separate account. Don't contact Dr. Palmer.""
Emily looked at me.
"Why?""
"Because if Marcus knows what Rachel found, he probably knows what you signed.""
A police officer returned.
"Mr. Hayes, the hospital ambulance is ready.""
I nodded.
As Emily helped me toward the exit, my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I opened the message.
There was no greeting.
No explanation.
Just a photograph.
It showed Emily standing outside the children's clinic two days earlier, holding a cardboard box.
Below it were seven words.
*Tell your sister to stop asking questions.*
I looked up at Emily.
She was already staring at my phone.
May you like
Then another message arrived.
*We know where she sleeps.*
