His back was toward me.
Across from him sat Meredith Sterling.
She looked exactly as I had expected.
Elegant.
Confident.
Completely convinced that the world belonged to her.
She wore an emerald-green evening dress, and her dark hair fell perfectly over one shoulder.
A champagne glass rested between her fingers.
Clint leaned toward her.
He was smiling in a way I hadn’t seen in years.
A smile he no longer gave me.
I stopped behind a velvet partition.
Then I heard Meredith laugh.
“You actually did it.”
Clint reached into his jacket.
“I told you I would.”
He placed a small black jewelry box on the table.
My heart remained strangely calm.
Meredith opened it.
The diamond caught the light immediately.
Even from several feet away, I could see how enormous it was.
She touched it carefully.
“Twenty carats?”
Clint nodded.
“Exactly.”
She smiled.
“You’re full of surprises tonight.”
“Not just tonight.”
He reached across the table and took her hand.
Meredith looked at him.
“And the transfer?”
“Already done.”
My attention sharpened.
“How much?” she asked.
“Three point four million from the reserve accounts.”
Meredith’s smile widened.
“And nobody noticed?”
“Not yet.”
I slowly reached into my purse.
My recording device was already running.
Clint continued.
“By the time they figure it out, the money will have moved through three different companies.”
Meredith lifted her champagne glass.
“To us.”
“To us.”
They touched glasses.
I stood completely still.
This was no longer a suspicion.
It was evidence.
Clear evidence.
Clint had just confessed to stealing millions.
But then Meredith said something that made me realize the fraud was bigger than I had imagined.
“And the acquisition?”
“Almost finished.”
“What about the remaining shareholders?”
Clint leaned closer.
“They’ll have no choice once the new ownership structure is finalized.”
“And your wife?”
I felt my jaw tighten.
Clint laughed.
“Clara?”
Meredith nodded.
“She knows nothing.”
“She never will.”
Meredith smiled.
“She must be incredibly easy to fool.”
“You have no idea.”
I closed my eyes for half a second.
Then opened them.
I had enough.
But I wanted more.
I needed to know how far this went.
Meredith lifted the diamond ring from the box.
“You really think this is enough?”
Clint smiled.
“It’s more than enough.”
She slid the ring onto her finger.
“Then maybe it’s time to celebrate.”
Clint stood.
He leaned across the table.
Meredith tilted her face toward him.
And just before their lips met, I stepped out from behind the partition.
“Congratulations.”
They froze.
Clint turned.
The color drained from his face.
His mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Meredith slowly looked at me.
Then at Clint.
Then back at me.
“Clara?”
I smiled.
“Good evening.”
Clint stood so quickly that his chair struck the wall behind him.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was invited.”
