Chapter 12 - The Room Beneath City Hall
Maya insisted they meet somewhere public. Mara chose the city hall cafeteria, where security cameras watched the doors and office workers argued about lunch prices.
Mara had reviewed Sterling Properties invoices before the fire and flagged duplicated orders. Her supervisor dismissed her objections. Now the city had rehired her to review the new subsidy package.
"I recognized the same vendor," she said, laying down a spreadsheet. "Westlake Safety Services. The company that supposedly replaced Riverside's sprinkler pumps."
"They still exist?" Naomi asked.
"On paper. Its listed office is a mailbox store."
Mara traced a series of transfers with a pen. Payments to Westlake were followed by payments to a consulting firm, then to a foundation marketing account. None of the entries alone proved fraud, Maya reminded them. Together, with the false pump model number, they raised questions someone had worked hard to bury.
"Who authorized them?" Naomi asked.
Mara turned the page. One approval appeared in Daniel's office. Another belonged to Vanessa Sterling as foundation president. A third carried Conrad Sterling's initials.
"This is enough to ask for a freeze," Maya said.
Mara shook her head. "A freeze takes time. The council votes tomorrow. They want the deal closed before any auditor can stop it."
She gave Maya a sealed envelope addressed to the inspector general and a copy of the original index for the Riverside file. Page nineteen was listed as: Photograph, chained stair access and failed pressure alarm.
Naomi stared at those words. Her mother had been blamed for opening a door that someone else had chained shut.
"Where's the photograph itself?"
"In a box the city contractor moved out of storage yesterday. I saw the transfer order."
"To where?"
Mara went pale. "A records depot near the river."
A loud crash came from the cafeteria entrance. Glenn Pike stood beside an overturned cart, glaring at their table. He didn't come closer. He simply tapped two fingers against the security badge on his chest and pointed toward the exits.
Mara grabbed her folder. "They're going to say I stole these."
May you like
"Then we'll document where they came from," Maya said. "And we won't let you go alone."
Pike turned and walked away. A moment later, Mara received a text from her office supervisor: YOUR CONTRACT IS TERMINATED. RETURN ALL MATERIALS IMMEDIATELY.
