Chapter 5: The Woman They Silenced
Catherine Vale had disappeared from my professional life seven months earlier.
At the time, Thomas Mercer had explained that she had violated company confidentiality rules and voluntarily resigned before a formal disciplinary hearing.
I'd been preparing for an international expansion.
I had accepted his explanation without investigating further.
Now, standing in my own showroom with a forged ownership agreement in front of me, I realized how convenient her disappearance had been.
“Rachel,” I said, “I want Catherine's last known address.””
“I'm already checking.””
“And I want her employment file, dismissal correspondence, and every email exchanged between her and Thomas Mercer.””
Rachel nodded.
Daniel closed the conference room folder.
“Eleanor, I recommend we move this investigation somewhere secure.””
“Agreed.””
I looked toward Marcus.
“Keep the showroom operating normally. Nobody should be allowed to remove company property or confidential documents.””
“Understood.””
I turned toward Emily.
“Thank you for speaking up. Someone from human resources will contact you tomorrow. You won't face any retaliation for cooperating.””
Her eyes filled again.
“Thank you, Ms. Hayes.””
As I walked toward the elevator, Mrs. Langford approached.
“Ms. Hayes?””
I stopped.
“Yes?””
She glanced toward Victoria's empty office.
“I hope you won't let this woman destroy the store.””
I smiled faintly.
“I have no intention of doing that.””
She nodded.
“Good. My husband and I have been shopping here for years. We came because the staff knew us, not because someone told us we weren't wealthy enough to walk through the door.””
I shook her hand.
“That's exactly the kind of business I want this to remain.””
The elevator carried us upstairs.
Twenty minutes later, Rachel returned with a file.
“Catherine lives in Brooklyn. She's working for a small legal services firm now.””
“Does she know we're looking for her?””
“Not yet.””
“Call her.””
Rachel stepped outside.
I sat beside Daniel.
He had been unusually quiet.
“What are you thinking?”” I asked.
He looked out the window.
“Something Richard said.””
“About the offer?””
“Yes. He said you should have accepted the original offer.””
I frowned.
“What original offer?””
Daniel opened his briefcase.
“Three months ago, Richard approached Bellamy Holdings with a proposal to purchase the entire luxury portfolio through a separate investment vehicle.””
I leaned forward.
“Why didn't I hear about it?””
“Because the proposal was presented as a preliminary discussion. Richard claimed he had authority to negotiate on behalf of the operating management.””
“But he didn't.””
“Not according to the ownership documents we had at the time.””
I considered that.
“What was the proposed price?””
“Two hundred and eighty million.””
I stared at him.
“The current valuation is four hundred million.””
“Correct.””
“So he was trying to sell the company for one hundred and twenty million less than its market value.””
Daniel nodded.
“And the investment vehicle was connected to a private equity group in which his family had an interest.””
I rubbed my forehead.
“Was Bellamy Holdings expected to finance the difference?””
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“That's the part I haven't explained.””
He opened a second folder.
“Richard proposed a management retention agreement. Under its terms, the Whitmore family would receive a substantial portion of the proceeds after the transaction closed.””
“How substantial?””
“Approximately sixty million dollars.””
I stared at him.
“Sixty million?””
“Yes.””
“And they didn't own the company.””
“Not legally.””
I looked toward the window.
The city seemed suddenly very far away.
This wasn't simply a family trying to enrich itself.
It was an organized attempt to use my company as an asset they could sell, even though they had no authority to do so.
“Why did you reject the proposal?””
Daniel gave a small smile.
“Because I insisted on meeting the controlling owner.””
“And they couldn't arrange it.””
“Richard claimed you were unavailable.””
I laughed without humor.
“That's because he didn't want us in the same room.””
My phone rang.
Rachel returned, holding it out.
“It's Catherine.””
I answered.
“Catherine?””
There was silence.
Then a woman's voice.
“Eleanor?””
“Yes.””
“Oh, my God.””
Her voice cracked.
“I didn't think you'd ever call me again.””
“I'm sorry I didn't call sooner.””
She breathed shakily.
“Why are you calling now?””
“Because I found a document with my forged signature. Your name appears on a delivery receipt connected to it.””
Another silence.
Then Catherine whispered something that made my stomach tighten.
“They used the document I refused to deliver.””
I sat forward.
“Explain.””
“Seven months ago, I discovered that someone had been accessing your private office after hours. At first, I thought it was maintenance. Then I noticed that confidential files were being copied.””
“Which files?””
“Ownership agreements. Property deeds. Banking authorizations. Everything related to Whitmore House.””
“Who was accessing them?””
“I saw Victoria twice. Thomas Mercer three times. And once…”
She stopped.
“Once who?””
“James Holloway.””
Daniel looked up.
I continued.
“What happened after you discovered this?””
“I reported it to Thomas. He told me I was confused. Two days later, he accused me of stealing confidential documents.””
“Did you?””
“No. I copied a few pages because I was afraid they would disappear.””
My pulse quickened.
“Do you still have them?””
“Yes.””
“Catherine, what do they show?””
Her breathing became uneven.
“They show that the Whitmores were preparing a transfer of ownership months before you knew about it.””
Daniel leaned toward the phone.
“Catherine, this is Daniel Bellamy. Do the documents identify the buyer?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Catherine hesitated.
Then she answered.
“Bellamy Holdings.””
Daniel went completely still.
I looked at him.
“What?””
Catherine continued.
“They were using a separate subsidiary. The paperwork showed that the company would acquire the portfolio, but the controlling shares would eventually be transferred to a private investment trust.””
Daniel's face had lost all expression.
“What's the name of the trust?””
Catherine read it from her notes.
“Northbridge Capital Trust.””
Daniel slowly closed his eyes.
I looked between him and the phone.
“Daniel?””
He didn't answer.
“Daniel, what is Northbridge?””
He took a breath.
“It's a private investment vehicle created by one of our former directors.””
“Someone inside Bellamy?””
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Daniel looked directly at me.
“His name is Andrew Bellamy.””
I frowned.
“Your brother?””
He nodded.
Andrew Bellamy was Daniel's younger brother and former business partner.
I'd met him twice at industry events. He had been charming, intelligent, and exceptionally interested in the future of the luxury retail market.
He had also resigned from Bellamy Holdings two years earlier after a disagreement over corporate strategy.
I looked at Daniel.
“Are you telling me your brother is involved?””
“I don't know how deeply.””
Catherine interrupted.
“There's more.””
I brought the phone closer.
“What else?””
“The document I refused to deliver had a list of people who were supposed to receive payments when the transaction closed.””
“Who?””
“Thomas Mercer. James Holloway. Richard Whitmore. Victoria Whitmore.””
She paused.
“And someone named Eleanor Hayes.””
I froze.
“What?””
Catherine's voice dropped.
“Your name was listed for a payment of twenty-five million dollars.””
Daniel stood abruptly.
I stared at the phone.
“Twenty-five million?””
“Yes. It was described as a retention incentive.””
I slowly understood.
They hadn't only planned to steal the company.
They had planned to make it appear as though I had approved the sale, received the money, and benefited from the transaction.
If the deal collapsed later, I would be the person holding the liability.
“Catherine,” I said, “where are the documents?””
“In a storage unit. I was afraid to keep them at home.””
“Can you meet us?””
She hesitated.
“Not today.””
“Why?””
“Because someone came to my apartment last night.””
I felt a cold sensation move down my back.
“Who?””
“I didn't see his face. But he left something outside my door.””
“What?””
“A copy of my old employee photograph.””
I looked at Daniel.
Catherine whispered:
“And on the back, someone had written, 'You should have stayed quiet.''”
The call ended.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Rachel placed another paper on the table.
“Eleanor, I just received a response from the security company.””
I looked up.
“What response?””
“They reviewed the access logs from your private office.””
“And?””
Rachel swallowed.
“The night Catherine was dismissed, someone entered your office at 11:43 p.m.””
“Who?””
Rachel turned the screen toward me.
The security camera showed a man wearing a dark coat.
His face was partially hidden beneath a baseball cap.
But I recognized him immediately.
May you like
Daniel Bellamy's brother.
Andrew.
