Chapter 4 - Her Father's Company

Rachel felt her throat close.

"My father never knew Daniel."

Melissa looked at her. "Are you sure?"

"My father died before Daniel and I met."

Daniel stepped back from the laptop as if the screen had burned him.

"I never met him."

Rachel's father, Thomas Morgan, had built a small medical-software company and sold most of it when Rachel was in college. He had been careful, private, and almost painfully honest.

He had also hated messy financial deals.

"Can you trace the payment?" Rachel asked.

Melissa nodded. "Not tonight. But I can subpoena records if this becomes litigation."

Daniel stared at the date again.

"Peter handled the closing books."

"And Peter is dead," Rachel said.

Daniel looked at her. "I hear how that sounds."

"Do you?"

He flinched.

Rachel hated that part of herself noticed.

Melissa closed the laptop. "Nobody signs anything. Nobody gives Vanessa money. Save every message. Do not meet her alone."

Rachel glanced at Daniel.

"Was there ever a connection between your company and my father's?"

"Not that I knew."

"What about Vanessa?"

Daniel shook his head.

At 11:17 p.m., the doorbell rang again.

Daniel moved first.

"Stay here."

Rachel ignored him and followed to the entryway.

A delivery driver stood outside holding a padded envelope.

"Rachel Morgan? Signature required."

Inside the envelope was an old flash drive and a handwritten note.

Rachel recognized the handwriting before she read a word.

Her father's.

If you receive this, someone has opened the Westbridge file.

Do not assume the person beside you knows the truth.

Rachel's fingers went numb.

Daniel whispered, "What is the Westbridge file?"

She turned the note over.

On the back, her father had written a single name.

PETER SHAW.

Below it was a date from six years ago.

One year before the mysterious transfer.

Rachel looked at Daniel.

"My father knew your accountant."

Daniel was already reaching for the flash drive.

Rachel pulled it back.

"No."

"Rachel—"

"The note says not to assume the person beside me knows the truth."

The hurt in his face was immediate.

Then Rachel noticed something else inside the envelope.

A small brass key.

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Stamped into the metal were three characters.

B-17.