Chapter 6: The Brother Behind the Deal
Daniel stared at the security footage.
For a long moment, he didn't move.
Andrew Bellamy was walking through my private office as though he belonged there.
He approached my desk, opened the bottom drawer, and removed a document folder.
Then he looked directly toward the security camera.
And smiled.
Daniel slowly lowered himself into a chair.
“That's impossible.””
I paused the footage.
“Do you recognize him?””
“Of course I recognize him.””
“Then explain why your brother was inside my office.””
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“Andrew left Bellamy Holdings two years ago.””
“That doesn't answer my question.””
“No. It doesn't.””
Rachel enlarged the image.
Andrew's face became clearer.
He was wearing the same silver watch I'd seen during a charity dinner six months earlier.
A watch Daniel had once told me was a family heirloom.
“Could he have been working with Richard?”” I asked.
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't know.””
“Could he have been acting on behalf of Bellamy Holdings?””
“No.””
“Could he have been acting on behalf of you?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Absolutely not.””
I held his gaze.
“Then we're going to find out who gave him access.””
Daniel stood and walked toward the window.
“My brother and I built Bellamy Holdings together. When our father died, Andrew wanted to expand into private acquisitions. I wanted to focus on long-term investments.””
“What happened?””
“He started using shell companies to acquire businesses before their owners knew they were being approached.””
“And you objected?””
“I discovered that he was using confidential information from our investment division. When I confronted him, he accused me of being afraid of competition.””
Daniel's voice tightened.
“He left shortly afterward.””
“Did you investigate?””
“Yes. But he had already moved the relevant assets into separate companies.””
I looked at the footage.
“And now he's here.””
Daniel nodded.
“Apparently.””
Rachel returned to the table.
“There's something else.””
I looked at her.
“Go ahead.””
“The access log shows Andrew didn't use a visitor pass.””
“What did he use?””
Rachel placed a printed record in front of me.
A master access credential.
Assigned to the chief executive's office.
Mine.
I looked at the code.
It was the same credential I used when entering the executive floor after hours.
“Who had access to this?””
Rachel checked her notes.
“Me. Thomas Mercer. James Holloway. And the security director.””
I felt my jaw tighten.
“Who was the security director?””
“Paul Bennett.””
I looked toward Daniel.
“Another person we need to speak with.””
He nodded.
“Immediately.””
I called my head of security.
Paul answered after two rings.
“Good evening, Ms. Hayes.””
“Paul, I need you in my office.””
“Is there a problem?””
“Yes.””
“Can I ask what it's regarding?””
I looked at the security footage.
“Your access credentials.””
There was a pause.
Then he said:
“I'll be there in twenty minutes.””
He arrived in twelve.
Paul Bennett was a former law enforcement officer who had managed our security operations for nearly five years.
He was calm, disciplined, and rarely spoke more than necessary.
Today, however, his face was pale.
He entered the office and looked at Daniel.
Then at the screen.
“Sit down, Paul,” I said.
He remained standing.
“I'd prefer to explain this without an audience.””
Daniel folded his arms.
“That's unfortunate. I'm not leaving.””
Paul looked at the footage.
“Where did you get this?””
“From your security system.””
He swallowed.
“Eleanor, I can explain.””
“Good. Start with why Andrew Bellamy entered my private office using my master credential.””
Paul looked at the floor.
Then he pulled out a chair.
“Thomas Mercer requested temporary access.””
I stared at him.
“When?””
“Seven months ago.””
“Why?””
“He said there was an emergency involving financial records.””
“And you approved it?””
“He showed me an authorization.””
“Signed by whom?””
He hesitated.
“James Holloway.””
I leaned back.
“Of course.””
Paul rubbed his hands together.
“I didn't know it was connected to a fraudulent ownership transfer.””
“Did you know Andrew Bellamy entered the office?””
“No.””
“Then why does the footage show him using the credential?””
Paul looked at Daniel.
Then back at me.
“Because Thomas told me to delete that section of the footage.””
The room went silent.
Daniel stepped forward.
“You deleted security footage?””
Paul nodded.
“I didn't delete everything. I archived the original recording before following the instruction.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
He looked embarrassed.
“Because the request was unusual. I thought something was wrong.””
“Where is the archive?””
“On a separate server.””
“Can we access it?””
“Yes.””
I closed my eyes briefly.
At least one person had preserved the truth.
“Paul, I want the entire archive secured. Nobody accesses it without written authorization from independent counsel.””
“Yes, Ms. Hayes.””
“And you're suspended from operational duties until the investigation is complete.””
He nodded.
“I understand.””
As he stood, I asked one final question.
“Did Thomas tell you why Andrew needed access?””
Paul stopped.
“He said it was part of a succession plan.””
My heart seemed to skip.
“What succession plan?””
Paul hesitated.
“He said Mr. Whitmore would eventually become chairman of the retail division.””
I looked at Daniel.
Richard Whitmore had never been an owner.
Yet someone had apparently been preparing to hand him control of my company.
After Paul left, Daniel remained silent.
I walked to the cabinet and poured myself a glass of water.
My hands were steady.
My thoughts were not.
“Daniel, I need to ask you something.””
“Go ahead.””
“Did your brother know about the four-hundred-million-dollar acquisition before the negotiations began?””
Daniel nodded slowly.
“He knew we were interested in the portfolio.””
“Did he know the valuation?””
“Yes.””
“Did he have access to your acquisition team?””
“He shouldn't have.””
I turned.
“What does that mean?””
Daniel took out his phone.
“Andrew still has relationships with several senior executives. He doesn't have formal authority, but he knows how to get information.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I didn't know he was involved.””
I studied him.
“Are you protecting him?””
Daniel looked genuinely offended.
“No.””
“Then stop trying to explain away what he did.””
He fell silent.
A few minutes later, Rachel entered with an incoming call.
“Eleanor, it's the independent forensic accounting team.””
I took the phone.
“This is Eleanor Hayes.””
A woman introduced herself as Melissa Grant, the lead investigator.
“Ms. Hayes, we've completed the first review of the archived financial records.””
“And?””
“We found evidence of additional transfers.””
“How much?””
“Approximately eighteen million dollars across several related entities.””
I gripped the phone.
“Eighteen million on top of the eleven million?””
“Yes.””
Daniel looked at me.
“What's the total?””
I held up one finger.
“Where did the additional money go?”” I asked Melissa.
“Some went to consulting companies. Others were transferred through an investment account registered in Delaware.””
“Who owns the account?””
“We're still verifying the beneficial ownership.””
“Can you identify the person who initiated the transfers?””
There was a pause.
“Yes.””
“Who?””
Melissa lowered her voice.
“The transactions were initiated through an authorization account assigned to the executive office.””
I looked at Rachel.
“Mine?””
“Yes.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Was my electronic signature used?””
“Yes, Ms. Hayes.””
“Was it genuine?””
“We believe the signature credentials were compromised.””
I looked at the documents scattered across my desk.
“Can you identify when?””
Melissa continued.
“The first unauthorized transaction occurred approximately eight months ago.””
Eight months.
That was before Catherine had been dismissed.
Before the forged ownership agreement.
Before Daniel had discovered the missing four million.
“Who accessed the account?””
Melissa took a breath.
“According to the login records, the access originated from a device registered to your former personal assistant.””
I frowned.
“Catherine?””
“No, ma'am.””
“Then who?””
Rachel leaned closer.
Melissa read the name.
“Olivia Hayes.””
I stopped breathing.
Olivia was my younger sister.
She had worked at Hayes Meridian Group for two years before leaving to pursue a career in philanthropy.
She knew my passwords.
She knew where I kept my private documents.
And she was the only person outside my immediate legal team who had access to the family trust records.
I lowered the phone.
Daniel watched my expression.
“Eleanor?””
I didn't answer immediately.
Rachel looked confused.
“Do you know someone named Olivia Hayes?””
I nodded.
“My sister.””
The room became painfully quiet.
My phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
*Olivia: We need to talk. Don't trust Daniel Bellamy. He's not telling you everything.*
I stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
*Olivia: And whatever you do, don't sign the acquisition agreement tomorrow.*
I looked up at Daniel.
He was already watching me.
“What's happening?”” he asked.
I turned my phone toward him.
He read the messages.
His expression changed.
“Eleanor, I need you to listen carefully.””
“What?””
He hesitated.
Then he said something I hadn't expected.
“Your sister contacted me three weeks ago.””
My blood ran cold.
“Why?””
Daniel looked down at the phone.
“Because she claimed she had evidence that Andrew and Richard were planning to destroy your company.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because she asked me not to.””
I stepped toward him.
“You've known my sister was involved for three weeks, and you said nothing?””
“I was trying to verify what she told me.””
“By negotiating a four-hundred-million-dollar acquisition behind my back?””
“Eleanor—”
“No. Answer me.””
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Your sister said she had signed something on your behalf.””
I stared at him.
“What did she sign?””
He opened his briefcase and removed a sealed envelope.
Inside was a single page.
A confidential agreement.
At the top was the name of the Northbridge Capital Trust.
At the bottom were two signatures.
One belonged to Olivia.
The other belonged to someone whose involvement made the entire situation far worse.
May you like
Because it was dated six months before the first suspicious transfer.
And the second signature belonged to me.
