Chapter 3 - The Missing Red Folder
By noon, Adrian’s home no longer felt like his.
Detective Morrow returned with two investigators and consent from Adrian to inspect his office.
Claire had been released after processing under strict conditions barring contact with Emma. She had not returned to the estate.
Adrian’s own legal status remained unresolved.
His attorney had already warned him not to mistake being a protective father for being innocent of striking Claire.
“You admitted it,” attorney Marcus Levin said.
“I’m not denying it.”
“Good. Because the video won’t let you.”
Adrian stared through the study window at the pergola.
Police tape fluttered in the wind.
The cane had been collected as evidence.
Thomas stood nearby answering questions.
Inside, Morrow opened cabinets while a digital investigator examined Adrian’s computer.
“No red folder,” she said.
“It could be anywhere.”
“Emma said it was here.”
Adrian opened the lower drawer of his desk.
Empty.
Claire had reorganized the office two months earlier.
At the time, he had thanked her.
Now he wondered what she had actually been doing.
The investigator looked up.
“Mr. Shaw, do you use the home security administrator account?”
“Rarely.”
“Someone does.”
He turned the screen.
The courtyard cameras had been manually disabled eleven times in eight weeks.
Always during Adrian’s business trips.
“Which account?”
The investigator hesitated.
“Yours.”
Adrian stared.
“That’s impossible.”
“Do you share your password?”
“No.”
Then he remembered.
The tablet built into the kitchen wall.
The smart-home application stayed logged in for convenience.
Claire knew that.
So did anyone who entered the house.
Morrow asked, “Could your wife operate it?”
“Yes.”
“Could Mr. Voss?”
Adrian looked at her.
“I don’t know why Daniel would ever be in my house without me.”
Thomas cleared his throat from the doorway.
Everyone turned.
“I’ve seen him.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“When?”
“Three times, maybe four.”
“Here?”
“At the service gate.”
“Why didn’t you mention it?”
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
“Mrs. Shaw said he was helping with foundation finances. It wasn’t my business.”
“When?”
Thomas thought.
“Evenings. Usually when you were away.”
Adrian felt his stomach tighten.
“Dates?”
“I keep a work journal.”
Morrow immediately said, “Don’t alter it. Don’t add anything. Bring it exactly as it is.”
Thomas nodded.
His shame was visible.
“I should’ve noticed more.”
Adrian almost said, So should I.
Instead, he looked toward the pergola.
Two men had both stood near his daughter’s life and decided certain things were not their business.
Adrian’s phone rang.
Daniel Voss.
He answered on speaker.
“Adrian, thank God. I’ve been hearing rumors.”
“You were at my house.”
Silence.
Then Daniel said, “What?”
“While I was traveling.”
“I’ve been there a dozen times over the years.”
“Without me.”
Another pause.
“Claire asked for help with foundation records.”
“Which records?”
“I don’t remember.”
Morrow watched Adrian without blinking.
Adrian continued.
“Harbor Crest.”
Daniel breathed out slowly.
“What about it?”
“My daughter saw you and Claire with a red folder.”
“That’s what this is? Adrian, she’s seven.”
“Seven-year-olds can see.”
“You’re under stress.”
“Were you here?”
“Yes. Once, maybe twice. I don’t remember.”
Thomas held up three fingers.
Daniel could not see him.
Adrian said, “Why would Harbor Crest documents be in my home?”
“They wouldn’t.”
“Then why did Emma see them?”
“I have no idea.”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Listen to me. Don’t start throwing accusations around while your family situation is already exploding. The board is nervous.”
Adrian went quiet.
“What board?”
“Our board.”
“What have you told them?”
“Nothing beyond what’s public.”
“Nothing is public.”
“Not yet.”
The call ended badly.
Thirty minutes later, Adrian logged into Shaw Meridian Group’s finance portal.
His access failed.
He tried again.
A red banner appeared.
ACCOUNT TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED — CONTACT CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
His phone rang almost immediately.
Evelyn Park, chair of Shaw Meridian’s board.
“Adrian.”
“Why am I locked out?”
“We received information this morning.”
“What information?”
“Questions involving Harbor Crest Consulting.”
He looked at Morrow.
“What questions?”
“Payments totaling eight-point-four million dollars.”
Adrian sat down.
“That’s not possible.”
“They were processed over fourteen months.”
“I never approved eight million dollars.”
“Our records say otherwise.”
Adrian stopped breathing.
Evelyn continued.
“The audit trail includes your electronic authorization.”
“Daniel manages vendor disbursements.”
“He says the same thing you do.”
“Which is?”
“That someone else is responsible.”
Adrian clenched his jaw.
Evelyn’s voice softened slightly.
“We have to protect the company. Effective immediately, a special committee is reviewing the transactions. Your financial access is suspended.”
“You think I stole from my own company?”
“I think I don’t know what happened.”
The line went quiet.
Then Evelyn said, “And Adrian?”
“Yes?”
“Claire contacted outside counsel before you contacted me.”
His blood turned cold.
“When?”
“This morning.”
“What did she say?”
“That she has documents showing you personally directed Harbor Crest payments and used company money for undisclosed private purposes.”
Adrian slowly lifted his eyes toward the empty space on his desk where a red folder might once have been.
Claire had been arrested for abusing his daughter.
Yet within hours, she had moved against his company.
This was not panic.
It was preparation.
Detective Morrow watched his face.
“What happened?”
Adrian put the phone down.
“My wife just accused me of stealing eight million dollars.”
Morrow glanced toward the office drawers.
“And the evidence?”
“Apparently has my signature.”
Outside, Thomas stood beneath the gray sky staring at the pergola.
Inside, Adrian finally understood what terrified him most.
Claire had not begun planning after Thomas recorded her.
The machinery had already been running.
May you like
Emma had simply wandered into the room and seen part of it.
And the punishment in the rain had been designed to make sure a seven-year-old never told anyone what she knew.
