Chapter 2 - THE SIGNATURE THAT WASN'T HERSFor several seconds, Caroline could not move.
Her name remained on the computer screen.
The authorization looked official.
It contained her employee identification number, the company's internal security code, and a digital signature that closely resembled the one she had used when completing her employment documents.
Yet she had never seen the transaction before.
She reached for her phone.
Then she stopped.
The anonymous warning was still lying beside her keyboard.
You have a family that depends on you.
Suddenly, the message seemed much more serious.
Caroline stood and walked straight toward Vincent's office.
His assistant looked up.
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but I need to speak with him."
"He's in a meeting."
Caroline hesitated.
She had never interrupted one of Vincent's meetings.
But she remembered what he had told her during her first weeks at the company.
If you ever notice something that could hurt the business or the people working here, tell someone immediately.
"This can't wait."
The assistant saw the fear on her face.
She picked up the telephone.
A moment later, Vincent appeared at the office door.
"Caroline?"
She held up the printed authorization.
"Someone has used my name."
Vincent took the paper.
As he read it, his expression hardened.
"Come inside."
Two men were seated across from his desk.
Vincent turned toward them.
"Gentlemen, we'll continue this later."
They looked surprised but collected their documents and left.
When the door closed, Vincent offered Caroline a chair.
She remained standing.
"I didn't approve that payment."
"I believe you."
"You haven't even asked me what happened."
Vincent placed the paper on his desk.
"Because you don't have authorization rights for transactions like this."
Caroline swallowed.
"Then how could my signature appear there?"
"That's what we're going to find out."
She showed him the threatening email.
Vincent read it carefully.
His face became serious.
"Did you respond?"
"No."
"Good."
He reached for his phone.
"Security needs to preserve the system logs. I'm also calling our outside legal counsel."
Caroline sat down slowly.
"Am I in trouble?"
Vincent looked directly at her.
"You've reported a suspicious transaction. That doesn't make you responsible for it."
"But someone is trying to make me look responsible."
"Yes."
His honesty frightened her more than reassurance would have.
Vincent contacted Priya Shah, an attorney who handled corporate investigations.
Within an hour, Priya arrived at the office.
She was a calm, observant woman with a habit of listening carefully before speaking.
After reviewing the documents, she asked Caroline several questions.
"Where were you yesterday evening?"
"At Mr. Brooks's house."
"With anyone else?"
"His mother, Mama Grace."
"From what time?"
"Approximately six thirty until after nine."
Priya wrote something in her notebook.
"Did you access the company accounting system during that period?"
"No."
"Have you ever shared your password?"
"Never."
Priya nodded.
"We'll need the access logs and the original electronic authorization records."
Caroline looked at Vincent.
"Does that mean someone inside the company did this?"
"It is one possibility," Priya answered.
"But we don't make accusations until we have evidence."
Just then, Vincent's chief financial officer entered the office.
Adrian Cross had worked at Brooks Development for nearly nine years.
He was always perfectly dressed, always composed, and rarely wasted words.
Vincent introduced him.
"Adrian, we've discovered an unauthorized payment."
Adrian examined the document.
His eyebrows rose.
"Almost three hundred thousand dollars?"
"Yes."
"And it was approved under Caroline's credentials?"
"That's what we're investigating."
Adrian turned toward Caroline.
"Have you made any recent changes to your password?"
"No."
"Used a shared computer?"
"Only my assigned workstation."
Adrian sighed.
"This is unfortunate."
Vincent looked at him.
"Freeze further payments to Horizon Industrial Supply while we investigate."
Adrian hesitated.
"That could delay the project."
"Then we'll deal with the delay."
"Vincent, Riverside is already running behind schedule."
"Safety and financial integrity come first."
Adrian studied him for a moment.
"Understood."
He left.
Caroline noticed something that troubled her.
Adrian had appeared more concerned about the schedule than the missing money.
But she kept the observation to herself.
That afternoon, Vincent asked Caroline to leave work early.
"You've had a difficult day."
She shook her head.
"I still have reports to finish."
"Those can wait."
"I don't want anyone thinking I left because I'm guilty."
Vincent paused.
"Then stay if that's your choice. But don't continue reviewing the suspicious records yourself. Priya's team will handle the investigation."
Caroline appreciated that he did not order her home.
She finished her ordinary work and left at the usual time.
When she reached her neighborhood, Daniel was sitting outside with a notebook.
He looked up.
"You seem tired."
Caroline smiled weakly.
"Just a long day."
Daniel closed his notebook.
"Did something happen at work?"
She considered lying.
But she had always taught him that families should be honest with each other.
"There's a problem at the company."
"What kind?"
"Someone may have stolen money."
Daniel frowned.
"Did they catch the person?"
"Not yet."
Blessing came outside carrying her schoolbag.
"Caroline! Look what I drew!"
She handed Caroline a picture of a large building surrounded by trees.
Children were playing outside.
At the top, Blessing had written:
A SCHOOL WHERE EVERY CHILD BELONGS.
Caroline smiled.
"That's beautiful."
Blessing beamed.
"I drew it because of the community center Mr. Vincent is building."
Daniel leaned over.
"Those windows aren't symmetrical."
Blessing pushed his shoulder.
"It's art, Daniel!"
Caroline laughed.
For a moment, the fear from the office disappeared.
Later that evening, Vincent called.
"How are you?"
"I'm all right."
"And Daniel and Blessing?"
"They're arguing about whether a drawing needs symmetrical windows."
Vincent laughed.
"That sounds like them."
Caroline became quiet.
"Have you learned anything?"
"Not enough yet."
She took a breath.
"Vincent?"
"Yes?"
It was the first time she had used his name without the word Mr.
"I don't want you protecting me just because you care about me."
Vincent did not answer immediately.
Then he said, "I want the truth, Caroline. That protects everyone, including you."
She closed her eyes.
"Thank you."
The following morning, a security investigator arrived to examine Caroline's workstation.
He asked permission to inspect her company-issued laptop and desk.
Caroline agreed.
While checking a drawer, he found a small storage device.
A black USB drive.
Caroline stared at it.
"I've never seen that before."
The investigator placed it inside an evidence bag.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
He looked at Priya.
"We need to examine this without connecting it to the company network."
Two hours later, the forensic technician reported that the device contained copies of confidential supplier contracts.
It also contained a spreadsheet detailing several suspicious payments.
The total was more than two million dollars.
Then Priya discovered something else.
May you like
The files had been labeled with Caroline's name.
And the earliest file had been created three months before Caroline started working at the company.
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