Chapter 7 - The Missing Vault Clerk|
Owen Pierce was supposed to be a thief.
At least, that's what Colin had told the police in my first life.
He claimed Owen had stolen confidential financial records before disappearing from Mercer Financial.
But Nadine Brooks had a different explanation.
“Owen believed someone was falsifying collateral transactions,” she told me over lunch.
“Why didn't he report it?”
“He tried.”
“What happened?”
“He was fired.”
She placed a business card on the table.
An address in Evanston.
“I found someone who may know where he's staying.”
My heart raced.
“Can we speak with him?”
“Possibly. But we do it carefully.”
Two days later, Nadine and I entered a small neighborhood diner.
Owen sat in the back booth.
He was fifty, with thinning hair, tired eyes, and the nervous movements of a man who expected trouble.
He stood when he saw Nadine.
“You shouldn't have brought anyone.”
“This is June Mercer.”
His expression changed.
“Colin's wife?”
“Yes.”
Owen looked toward the door.
“Absolutely not.”
I stepped forward.
“Please.”
He hesitated.
“My husband is trying to blame me for something I didn't do.”
Owen gave a bitter laugh.
“Welcome to the club.”
We sat down.
Nadine explained that I was seeking legal advice about suspicious collateral documents.
Owen watched me closely.
Then reached into his jacket.
He produced a folded photocopy.
“This is the release log from the week before I was fired.”
I examined it.
Several lines had been altered.
One entry referred to Marlene Shaw's emerald necklace.
Another listed a transfer destination.
Not the bank.
Not a secure jewelry facility.
A private address belonging to Roland Shaw's charitable trust.
I looked up.
“Why would pledged collateral go there?”
Owen shook his head.
“That's what I wanted to know.”
He pointed to another column.
“The transaction required two approvals.”
“Whose?”
“Roland Shaw's office and Mercer Financial's executive management.”
My breath caught.
“Colin.”
Owen nodded.
“He approved the paperwork.”
Nadine leaned forward.
“Do you have the original electronic record?”
“No. But I preserved a record of the changes in my own notes, and I reported them before I left.”
He took out a small notebook.
Dates.
Times.
Names.
All written by hand.
Then he looked directly at me.
“Mrs. Mercer, this isn't about one necklace.”
My stomach tightened.
“What do you mean?”
“Someone has been using valuable collateral to support loans that shouldn't exist.”
He lowered his voice.
“Millions of dollars.”
Nadine asked:
“Who benefits?”
Owen hesitated.
“Roland Shaw.”
My heart pounded.
“Then why would he let Colin give the necklace away?”
Owen's expression darkened.
“Because Roland doesn't need the necklace anymore.”
He leaned closer.
“He needs someone to blame when the entire lending operation collapses.”
I stared at him.
“Me.”
Owen nodded.
May you like
Then he said something that made my hands go cold.
“And you're not the first woman they've chosen.”
