Chapter 5: The CEO Makes His Move
Gerald Marsh walked like a man who believed the floor belonged to him.
Even now, with half the rooftop watching and his phone undoubtedly full of messages he hadn't read, his stride was unhurried.
Deliberate.
The walk of someone who had spent thirty years being the most important person in every room he entered.
He stopped two feet from Maya.
"Miss Reed." His voice was warm.
Practiced.
The voice he used in earnings calls when the numbers were bad.
"I think there's been some confusion this evening."
"Has there," Maya said.
"You're Thomas's daughter.
I've known your father for fifteen years." He smiled.
"Whatever you've been told, or whatever you think you've seen — I want you to know that my door is open.
Tomorrow morning.
You and me and your father, if he'd like to join.
We'll clear this up properly."
"The merger is paused," Maya said.
"That won't change before tomorrow morning."
Marsh's smile held.
"The board made a procedural decision based on incomplete information.
Once I've had the chance to speak with Thomas directly—"
"The board made the decision based on documentation I submitted at 9:47 this evening," Maya said.
"Forty-one wire transfers.
A shell company with no employees, no office, and no deliverables.
And a pension fund that's been quietly losing money for over a year while its statements were being corrected before distribution."
The smile didn't disappear.
But it stopped being warm.
"That's a serious allegation," he said.
"It's a documented one."
He leaned slightly closer.
The warmth was entirely gone now.
"Your father is a shareholder, not an operator.
He has influence in this company, but he does not run it.
And you—" he paused, letting the word sit — "are an intern."
"I was," Maya said.
"As of about twenty minutes ago, I'm something else."
"And what is that?"
Her phone buzzed.
She looked at the screen.
A message from Grace: *Carver is a person.
I have an address.
You're going to want to see this.*
Maya looked back up at Marsh.
"I'm the person who found the third account," she said.
Something moved behind his eyes.
Fast.
Gone before it fully formed.
But Maya had been watching people in this building for eleven weeks, and she knew what it looked like when someone realized they had made a mistake they could not walk back.
Marsh straightened.
"I'd like you to leave my event."
"I'll leave when I'm ready," Maya said.
"But you should know — the SEC's Chicago office received a full document package at 9:52 this evening.
If anyone here attempts to access, transfer, or delete files from the Whitmore Group servers tonight, that action will be logged and added to the existing submission."
Marsh said nothing.
"Enjoy the rest of your evening," Maya said.
She turned and walked toward the elevator.
Behind her, she heard Marsh say something to the man standing nearest to him.
She didn't catch the words.
She didn't need to.
May you like
She already knew what he was going to try next.
He was going to call her father.
