“No.”
His voice came out almost as a whisper.
“You weren’t supposed to come.”
I tilted my head.
“You told me not to embarrass you.”
Meredith looked at Clint.
“You said she wouldn’t come.”
“I thought she wouldn’t.”
I looked at the ring on Meredith’s finger.
“That’s beautiful.”
Meredith smiled smugly.
“Thank you.”
“I imagine it was expensive.”
Clint swallowed.
“Clara, this isn’t what you think.”
I looked directly at him.
“You’re right.”
His shoulders relaxed slightly.
“This is much worse than what I thought.”
Meredith’s expression changed.
“What exactly are you accusing us of?”
I didn’t answer her.
Instead, I looked at my husband.
“You told me you were working late.”
“I was.”
“You told me this dinner was about business.”
“It is.”
“You told me I didn’t belong here.”
His eyes darted toward the exits.
“And now you’re sitting here wearing a stolen two-hundred-thousand-dollar ring while discussing money that disappeared from your company’s accounts.”
Silence.
Meredith’s face hardened.
“Clint?”
He didn’t answer.
She turned toward him.
“Tell her she’s wrong.”
Clint looked at me.
For the first time since I had known him, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.
“You’ve been investigating me.”
I smiled.
“Now you’re starting to understand.”
He took a step backward.
“Clara, listen to me.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“You should have thought about that before you stole from your company.”
Meredith stood.
“You’re a financial analyst.”
I looked at her.
“That is what I told everyone.”
She frowned.
“What does that mean?”
I reached into my purse.
Then I placed my federal badge on the table.
Meredith stared at it.
Her face slowly lost its color.
Clint closed his eyes.
“No.”
I looked at him.
“Yes.”
I opened my coat.
“Senior Forensic Financial Analyst and Special Agent Clara Harrison.”
Meredith took a step backward.
“You’re FBI?”
“Yes.”
Clint’s voice broke.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I looked at the man I had once loved.
“Because I trusted you.”
His face twisted.
“You’re my wife!”
“And you’re under federal investigation.”
Before he could answer, the doors behind us suddenly opened.
A dozen federal agents entered the room.
Then another group.
The music stopped.
Conversations died instantly.
Every wealthy patron in the room turned toward the entrance.
Meredith stared at me.
“How many agents did you bring?”
I looked at my watch.
“Enough.”
The lead agent approached our table.
He looked at me.
“Agent Harrison.”
I nodded.
“Proceed.”
He turned toward Clint and Meredith.
“Clint Harrison. Meredith Sterling. You are being detained pending a federal investigation into financial fraud, embezzlement, wire fraud, and conspiracy.”
Clint stumbled backward.
“No.”
Two agents moved toward him.
He suddenly pointed at Meredith.
“She did it!”
Meredith stared at him in disbelief.
“What?”
“She made me do it!”
“You liar!”
“She controlled the accounts!”
“You signed every transfer!”
“You told me to!”
Their argument became louder.
But I barely heard them.
Because one question had suddenly entered my mind.
If they had stolen three point four million dollars…
Where was the rest of the money?
I turned toward the lead agent.
“Agent Miller.”
“Yes?”
“There is something else.”
“What?”
I looked at Clint.
Then Meredith.
“Those transactions aren’t the entire operation.”
Miller’s expression became serious.
“How much more?”
I took a breath.
“I don’t know yet.”
I looked at the diamond on Meredith’s hand.
“But I’m going to find out.”
And then my phone vibrated.
One new message.
From Uncle Richard.
I opened it.
There were only six words:
CLARA, DON’T TRUST ANYONE INSIDE.
I slowly looked around the room.
The agents.
The wealthy members.
The employees.
The club owner standing near the bar.
Someone inside that building had information Richard didn’t want me to ignore.
And suddenly, I realized something terrifying.
The investigation wasn’t ending tonight.
It was only beginning.
THE MESSAGE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
I read Uncle Richard’s message again.
CLARA, DON’T TRUST ANYONE INSIDE. to be continues
