“I came to tell you before news breaks.”
“You don’t owe me details.”
“I know.”
Daniel waited.
Victoria swallowed.
“You asked me to figure out whether you were first.”
“You weren’t.”
He exhaled slowly.
“I’m sorry.”
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“You’re sorry?”
“For the others.”
“So am I.”
She looked at him.
“I fired a woman because he told me she had been inside my bedroom.”
“I didn’t ask for camera logs.”
“I didn’t ask whether anyone else had access.”
“I believed him.”
“Because you trusted him.”
“Yes.”
Daniel leaned the broom against wall.
“That part is human.”
“And the rest?”
He understood question.
“The part where you believed somebody because they fit the role you expected?”
“That is human too.”
“It is just uglier.”
Victoria nodded.
She looked toward his office.
“Is Mia here?”
“No.”
“I wanted to apologize again.”
“You already did.”
“I know.”
Daniel studied her.
“What do you want from me?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why are you here?”
Victoria looked surprised.
Then honest.
“I don’t know.”
Daniel waited.
She laughed softly at herself.
“I think because everyone around me is trying to solve this.”
“Lawyers.”
“Security.”
“Public relations.”
“My board.”
“And you’re the only person who told me not to write a check.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“That isn’t exactly rare wisdom.”
“It is in my world.”
He poured coffee from old machine.
Held up another cup.
Victoria hesitated.
Then nodded.
He handed it.
She took one sip and made a face.
Daniel looked offended.
“What?”
“This is terrible.”
“It is free.”
“That explains.”
For first time since entering, she smiled.
Small.
Daniel leaned against workbench.
“What are you going to do?”
“Find everyone.”
“Apologize.”
“Compensate them if they’ll allow it.”
“Clear records.”
“Anything else?”
“Change investigation policy.”
“No employee or contractor will be disciplined for theft based solely on accusation or access.”
“Independent review.”
“Preserve footage.”
“Document chain of custody.”
Daniel nodded.
“Good.”
Victoria looked at him.
“You still sound angry.”
“I am.”
“Fair.”
She put down coffee.
“I brought something.”
Daniel’s face tightened.
“If it’s money—”
“It isn’t.”
She reached into her bag.
Pulled out a printed invoice.
Carter Motor Works.
Four hundred eighty-six dollars.