Chapter 7: The Woman Who Knew Too Much
I stared at Evelyn.
The message remained illuminated on my phone.
*DON'T TRUST THE WOMAN SITTING ACROSS FROM YOU.*
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
The café suddenly seemed too small. Every conversation around us sounded distant, every movement near the windows suspicious.
Evelyn slowly released my wrist.
"Camille, listen to me.""
"Who sent that message?""
"I don't know.""
"Then why does someone know you're sitting here?""
She looked toward the entrance.
"Because I've been followed for weeks.""
I stood.
"You're telling me this now?""
"I didn't want to frighten you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Someone has stolen my father's documents, my stepsister has taken part of my costume, and my stepmother is apparently involved in twelve million dollars of missing company funds. I think we're past the point of protecting my feelings.""
Evelyn looked down.
"You're right.""
I picked up my handbag.
"Tell me everything. No more secrets.""
She hesitated.
Then she reached inside her coat and removed a small photograph.
It showed my father standing beside three people in front of the original Bellamy Holdings headquarters.
I recognized my father immediately.
The second person was Evelyn.
The third was Richard Lawson.
The fourth was a woman I had never seen before.
"Who is she?""
Evelyn's expression darkened.
"Margaret Hale. Your father's former financial adviser.""
I looked closer.
"Why is she important?""
"Because she signed the first transfer authorization that allowed money to leave Bellamy Holdings.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Was she involved with Vanessa?""
"Yes. Margaret helped arrange the accounts. But she wasn't working alone.""
"Who else?""
Evelyn took a breath.
"Your father.""
I froze.
"What?""
"He signed the first authorization.""
I shook my head.
"No. That's impossible.""
"Camille, your father believed the money was being moved temporarily to protect the company from a hostile takeover. Margaret assured him the accounts were legitimate.""
"Then why did he investigate?""
"Because the money never came back.""
I looked at the photograph again.
My father stood between Evelyn and Margaret, smiling.
He looked happy.
He looked like a man who believed he could trust the people around him.
"Was Vanessa involved from the beginning?""
Evelyn nodded.
"She introduced Margaret to your father. She said Margaret had connections in international finance.""
I swallowed.
"And Richard?""
"Richard handled the paperwork.""
I closed my eyes.
Suddenly, the story became much uglier.
My father hadn't simply been betrayed by Vanessa.
He had been manipulated by an entire network of people he believed were protecting his business.
"Why did you say the archive could expose someone my father trusted more than anyone?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"Because the final authorization wasn't signed by Vanessa, Richard, or Margaret.""
"Who signed it?""
She didn't answer.
Instead, she reached into her handbag and removed a folded piece of paper.
The signature at the bottom was familiar.
My father's.
But beneath it was another name.
Camille Bennett.
My name.
I stared at the page.
"What is this?""
"A document created shortly before your father's death. It appears to authorize a transfer of ownership from Bellamy Holdings to a private account.""
I read the date.
I had been twenty-two.
I had never signed anything like that.
"This is forged.""
"Yes.""
"Why would someone use my name?""
"Because if the transfer was discovered, they needed someone else to blame.""
I felt sick.
Someone had prepared a financial crime and intended to leave me holding the evidence.
My father might have discovered it before he died.
And now, three years later, the same people were trying to take control of my company.
My phone vibrated.
Elena again.
*ELENA: Richard is demanding access to the executive archive. He says you authorized him to collect the original production contracts.*
I typed back.
*CAMILLE: Deny access. Do not let him near any files.*
Her response came immediately.
*ELENA: He's threatening to call the board.*
I put the phone down.
Evelyn leaned forward.
"You need to leave this café.""
"I need answers.""
"And you'll get them. But not here.""
We exited through the rear door.
A black sedan was parked at the end of the alley.
The driver looked directly at us.
Evelyn stopped.
"That's him.""
"Who?""
"Margaret's security consultant.""
The driver opened his door.
I grabbed Evelyn's arm.
"Run.""
We hurried toward the main street.
Behind us, the sedan pulled away from the curb.
A horn blared as we crossed the intersection.
A taxi stopped.
I opened the back door.
"Get in!""
Evelyn climbed inside.
I gave the driver the address of the foundation headquarters.
When we arrived, Elena was waiting in the lobby.
Her face was pale.
"Camille, we have a serious problem.""
"What happened?""
"Richard accessed the sponsorship database before security locked his credentials.""
"Did he download anything?""
Elena nodded.
"Almost everything.""
I closed my eyes.
"How?""
"Victor gave him temporary administrative access.""
I looked at Evelyn.
She whispered something under her breath.
"He's moving faster than I expected.""
Elena looked between us.
"Who is she?""
"Evelyn Cross.""
Elena's expression changed.
"The Evelyn Cross?""
"Yes.""
She stepped forward.
"Camille, there's something you should know about her.""
I turned.
"What?""
Elena looked uncomfortable.
"Three months ago, I found a transfer request involving an old account associated with Evelyn Cross. It was approved by someone using your father's authorization credentials.""
Evelyn went pale.
"That's impossible.""
Elena opened her tablet.
"It happened on September fourteenth.""
I looked at the screen.
The transfer was for $750,000.
The destination account belonged to a company called Cross Meridian Consulting.
Evelyn shook her head.
"I never opened that account.""
I stared at the information.
"Who approved it?""
Elena enlarged the record.
The approval name appeared.
*CAMILLE BENNETT.*
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Another forged authorization.
Another attempt to make me look responsible.
Then Evelyn said something that changed everything.
"That company wasn't created by me.""
"Who created it?"" I asked.
She looked directly at me.
"Your father.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
Evelyn lowered her voice.
"He created it to hold the original investment funds. But he never told Vanessa about it.""
"Why?""
"Because he suspected she was stealing from Bellamy Holdings. He wanted to move the money somewhere safe.""
I slowly sat down.
"So the $750,000 wasn't stolen?""
"Not necessarily. But someone accessed the account after your father died.""
I looked at Elena.
"Find the account's current balance.""
She began typing.
A moment later, her expression changed.
"What?""
"Camille, the account was emptied yesterday.""
I stared at her.
"How much?""
"Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Every cent.""
The room became silent.
I looked at Evelyn.
She shook her head.
"That money was supposed to protect you.""
My phone vibrated again.
A new message.
This time, it came from Brielle.
*BRIELLE: Mother says you should stop making trouble. We have something that belongs to you. Come to the Bellamy estate tonight. Alone.*
I showed Evelyn.
She immediately shook her head.
"No.""
I looked at the message.
Then at the original photograph of my father.
"She's holding the archive key.""
"And Vanessa knows it.""
I put my phone in my pocket.
"Then tonight, we're going to find out what they want.""
Evelyn grabbed my hand.
"Camille, this is exactly what they want.""
I looked at her.
"Perhaps.""
Then I turned toward Elena.
"Prepare a complete backup of every authorization file. Contact Daniel. And find out who emptied that account.""
Elena nodded.
I took a breath.
"Tonight, the Bellamys are going to learn that I no longer intend to play their quiet little game.""
But as I walked toward the elevator, Evelyn called after me.
"Camille!""
I turned.
She held up the photograph of my father.
"There is one more thing I never told you.""
"What?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Your father didn't die believing Vanessa had betrayed him.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
Evelyn swallowed.
"He died believing you had betrayed him.""
For a moment, I couldn't hear anything.
May you like
Then she added:
"Someone showed him a forged document with your signature. And he spent his final days believing his daughter had helped destroy his company.""
