Chapter 6: The Camera Never Lies
“Don't touch that printer.””
Gloria's voice stopped Trent in his tracks.
He had been walking toward the corner of the office, where the printer sat beneath a shelf of old invoices.
Now everyone was looking at him.
Trent lowered his hand.
“What?””
“You were about to touch something.””
“I was getting a document.””
“Which document?””
He shrugged.
“Does everything need an explanation?””
Gloria walked to the printer herself.
A sheet of paper sat in the output tray.
She lifted it.
It was a printed email.
The sender was Gloria.
The recipient was Trent.
The subject line read:
*RE: WESTBRIDGE — PAYMENT SCHEDULE.*
Gloria looked at the date.
It was the same day she had been in London.
The email instructed Trent to process the payments and classify them as restoration expenses.
At the bottom was a digital signature.
Gloria read the message twice.
Then she looked at Trent.
“Did you print this?””
He shrugged.
“Probably.””
“Why?””
“Because I needed a copy.””
“A copy of an email you claim I sent you?””
“Yes.””
Gloria held up the paper.
“I didn't send this.””
Trent gave a dismissive laugh.
“Maybe you forgot.””
“I'm going to say this once. I was in London. I have the hotel records, flight details, and my phone activity. I never sent this message.””
Trent's smile faded.
Nadia watched Gloria place the paper carefully on the desk.
Then she picked up the tablet.
“Renee, you said you saved the emails. Are there any attachments?””
Renee nodded.
“Yes. There were spreadsheets too.””
“Open them.””
Renee scrolled through the folder.
A spreadsheet appeared.
It contained four columns:
- Payment date. - Amount. - Invoice number. - Destination account.
The total was $25,700.
Gloria looked at the figures.
“Twenty-five thousand seven hundred dollars.””
Renee nodded.
“I only discovered the first two payments when I was checking the monthly accounts. Trent told me the accountant had already approved everything.””
“And you believed him?””
“He showed me an email.””
“From my account?””
“Yes.””
Gloria closed her eyes for a moment.
“Renee, did you know the company belonged to his brother?””
Renee shook her head.
“Not at first.””
“When did you find out?””
“Last week.””
Gloria stared at her.
“And you didn't tell me?””
Renee's voice broke slightly.
“I was afraid.””
Trent laughed.
“Here we go. Everyone's suddenly afraid of me.””
Renee turned toward him.
“You told me I would lose my job if I questioned the payments.””
“I told you to do your job!””
“You said you could make sure I never worked in another café.””
“Because you kept interfering!””
Gloria raised a hand.
“Enough.””
She looked at Renee.
“Did you save those threats?””
Renee nodded.
“Yes.””
“Show me.””
Renee opened another folder.
There were text messages between her and Trent.
One read:
*TRENT — 7:42 PM: Don't discuss the Westbridge payments with anyone. Gloria doesn't need to know every little detail.*
Another:
*TRENT — 7:49 PM: If you want to keep your position, follow my instructions.*
Then a third.
*TRENT — 8:03 PM: And don't let Nadia start asking questions about the invoices.*
Nadia stared at the screen.
“Why did you mention me?””
Renee looked uncomfortable.
“I don't know.””
Nadia pointed at the message.
“Why did he care whether I asked questions?””
Trent cut in.
“Because you were constantly asking for payment updates!””
Nadia looked at him.
“Because you owed me money.””
“That's not the point.””
“Then what is?””
He didn't answer.
Gloria picked up the phone.
“I'm calling the accountant back.””
Trent shook his head.
“Don't do this.””
Gloria dialed.
The accountant answered almost immediately.
“Gloria?””
“I need a complete review of all transactions involving Westbridge. And I need the access logs for the finance account.””
“I'm already checking them.””
“Good. Can you tell me when the administrator account was created?””
A few seconds passed.
“Six weeks ago.””
“Who created it?””
The accountant read something on the other end.
Then paused.
“Trent's login.””
Gloria looked toward him.
“Thank you. Please preserve the records and send me the report.””
She ended the call.
Trent shook his head.
“An administrator account doesn't prove anything.””
Gloria put the phone down.
“No. But the payments, altered documents, fake invoices, and unauthorized emails might.””
He leaned against the door.
“You're making a huge mistake.””
Gloria stared at him.
“You've spent six weeks stealing from my business, and you think I'm making a mistake?””
“I didn't steal anything.””
“Then why did the money go to your brother?””
“I can explain.””
“Go ahead.””
Trent looked around the room.
At the tablet.
At the computer.
At the printed documents.
Then at Renee.
His expression hardened.
“This is all because of her.””
Renee looked up.
“What?””
“You kept the records.””
“I kept them because something wasn't right.””
“You were supposed to be loyal.””
Renee stood.
“I was loyal to the café.””
Trent laughed.
“Don't pretend you're innocent.””
Gloria stepped between them.
“That's enough.””
She picked up her phone again.
“Security will be here in a moment. You're not accessing the office or the financial system until the investigation is complete.””
Trent's voice rose.
“You can't fire me over an accounting disagreement.””
“I'm not discussing your employment status with you right now.””
“Then what are you doing?””
“Protecting my business.””
Trent looked at Nadia.
“And you. You're happy now?””
Nadia stared back.
“No.””
He frowned.
“What?””
“I'm not happy. I wanted to paint a mural, finish my job, and get paid. You turned it into this.””
Trent shook his head.
“You think Gloria is going to protect you forever?””
Gloria stepped beside Nadia.
“She shouldn't need to. You should never have treated her this way.””
For a moment, Trent seemed to have no response.
Then the office door opened.
A security supervisor entered.
“Gloria? You asked for me?””
“Yes. Please escort Trent from the management office. And make sure his access is suspended.””
Trent looked stunned.
“You're actually doing this?””
Gloria nodded.
“Yes.””
He grabbed his jacket.
The white paint had dried into uneven streaks across the leather.
He stared at it for a moment.
Then he turned toward Nadia.
“You're going to pay for this.””
Gloria immediately stepped forward.
“Don't threaten her.””
“I'm not threatening anyone.””
“You just did.””
The security supervisor moved closer.
“Sir, let's go.””
Trent reluctantly walked toward the hallway.
But before he left, he turned to Renee.
“You'll regret this.””
Renee stood still.
“No, Trent. I regret not speaking up sooner.””
He disappeared through the doorway.
The office fell silent.
Gloria sat down heavily.
For the first time that morning, she looked exhausted.
Nadia moved toward the desk.
“Are you okay?””
Gloria gave a small, tired smile.
“I should be asking you that.””
Nadia looked toward the café floor.
Through the office window, she could see the ruined mural.
White paint had dried over the woman's face.
The flowers were barely visible.
“I just want my work back,” she whispered.
Gloria followed her gaze.
“I know.””
“And my payment.””
“You'll get what you're owed.””
Nadia nodded.
Gloria opened a drawer and pulled out a small notebook.
“There's something else we need to discuss.””
Nadia turned.
“What?””
Gloria placed the notebook on the desk.
It contained a list of the café's renovation expenses.
At the top was a handwritten note:
*PROPERTY INSPECTION — FRIDAY.*
Gloria tapped the page.
“The landlord is coming in two days. If Trent has been submitting false documents, I need to know exactly what they've been told.””
Nadia looked at the notebook.
“Can the landlord see the mural?””
“Of course. They approved it.””
“Then why did Trent want it covered?””
Gloria opened the email archive again.
“I don't know yet.””
She searched for the property management company's latest message.
A new email appeared.
It had arrived that morning.
The subject line was:
*URGENT: REQUEST FOR ORIGINAL CONTRACTOR STATEMENT.*
Gloria opened it.
The email contained a request for Nadia to confirm whether she had completed the wall restoration project for $25,700.
Nadia stared at the screen.
“Twenty-five thousand seven hundred?””
Gloria nodded.
“They believe you were paid that amount.””
“But I wasn't!””
“I know.””
Nadia leaned closer.
The email included an attachment.
A signed statement.
It claimed that Nadia had personally confirmed the work was completed, accepted the payment, and approved the final restoration.
At the bottom was her name.
And a signature that looked almost exactly like hers.
Nadia's stomach dropped.
“I never signed that.””
Gloria looked at her.
“Are you absolutely sure?””
“Yes.””
Gloria enlarged the document.
Then Nadia noticed something.
The date was three days before Trent had even shown her the original contract.
She pointed to the screen.
“Gloria, look.””
Gloria leaned forward.
The statement wasn't simply forged.
It contained a photograph of Nadia standing beside the finished mural.
A photograph she had never seen before.
And in the background, barely visible through the café window, stood a man holding a camera.
Nadia recognized him immediately.
It was Mason.
Trent's brother.
Gloria stared at the image.
“Why was Mason photographing you?””
Nadia shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Then her phone vibrated.
A new message appeared from an unknown number.
*UNKNOWN: Stop looking into the payments. Trent isn't the only person who will lose everything if you keep digging.*
Nadia read it twice.
Gloria saw her face.
“What happened?””
Nadia turned the phone toward her.
Gloria read the message.
Then she slowly looked toward the café entrance.
Because someone had just walked through the front door.
A man wearing a gray suit.
May you like
Carrying a folder.
And asking for Nadia by name.
