“Three years ago a facilities position opened in Hawthorne Commercial.”
“Gregory pushed your application.”
Taylor remembered.
He had been surprised when Hawthorne called.
He thought a recruiter found him.
“Why?”
“To keep you close.”
Rachel whispered:
“Jesus.”
Taylor stared.
“Did you know?”
“Not until last year.”
“And you kept me employed?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because if I fired you, Gregory would know I discovered why you were there.”
Taylor looked down.
His entire career rearranged itself.
Every promotion.
Every security assignment.
Every moment Gregory unexpectedly remembered his name.
Nothing felt accidental anymore.
Victoria said:
“Taylor, last year I started investigating Meridian quietly.”
“Why then?”
“My father died.”
The words came carefully.
“After he died, I found a handwritten ledger in his estate records.”
“Payments.”
“Names.”
“One name was Megan Hayes.”
Taylor looked up sharply.
“What kind of payment?”
“Not to Megan.”
“To someone labeled HAYES RESOLUTION.”
His face went cold.
“How much?”
“Two hundred fifty thousand dollars.”
“To who?”
“A company called Arden Risk Consulting.”
Taylor knew immediately he had never heard the name.
Victoria continued.
“Gregory approved it.”
Taylor stood.
“Where is Gregory now?”
“I don’t know.”
“We go to police.”
Victoria looked at him.
“Which police?”
“Federal.”
“I already contacted a former Justice Department investigator two months ago.”
“What happened?”
“She disappeared from our communication channel.”
Taylor laughed bitterly.
“Convenient.”
Victoria looked ashamed.
“I know how it sounds.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I do.”
“You’re a billionaire CEO.”
“If somebody threatens you, you hire security.”
“If somebody threatened Megan, she had me.”
“A guy fixing building systems and worrying about daycare bills.”
Victoria flinched.
Taylor continued.
“She had Sophie.”
“A baby.”
“She had no security department.”
“No board.”
“No private jet.”
“Nothing.”
Victoria whispered:
“She had evidence.”
“And that got her what?”
Silence.
Taylor walked toward the door.
Rachel stopped him.
“Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“Taylor.”
“Sophie.”
Of course.
He had almost forgotten.
His daughter.
He looked at the clock.
5:17 a.m.
Mrs. Alvarez would be asleep on the couch.
Sophie probably in bed.
Safe.
Then a thought hit.
Gregory knew Taylor had taken Victoria.
Gregory knew where Taylor lived.
Taylor grabbed his phone.
Three missed calls.
Mrs. Alvarez.
His blood turned cold.
He called.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
“Taylor?”
Rachel saw his face.
He called Sophie’s tablet.
Nothing.
Then Mrs. Alvarez called back.
Taylor answered immediately.
“Are you okay?”
“Taylor?”
She sounded breathless.
“What happened?”
“There were men outside.”
His stomach dropped.