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Chapter 1
CHAPTER 1 – AN ORDINARY MAN
"Forty-eight hydraulic hose assemblies," Ivarn said. "Forty-eight. That's not a small number. You can't just lose forty-eight of anything."
The shelf in aisle seven did not explain. Six boxes of fasteners. Two cases of valves. Nothing else.
He checked the manifest again. Shipment 4471-B. Delivered Tuesday, 2:17 PM. Signed by Dellard. Distributed to aisles seven, twelve, and nineteen.
Ivarn had already checked twelve and nineteen. No hoses.
"Of course not," he muttered.
He took out his phone and photographed the shelf. Then the manifest. Then the aisle number on the wall, just in case.
The warehouse was quiet. Most of the day shift had gone home. Fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. A forklift sat abandoned near the loading bay.
Ivarn liked this time of day. Quiet meant he could think.
His phone buzzed. His sister: Did you pay Mom's phone bill?
Yes. Tuesday. Stop asking.
She said it's still not working.
Then it's her phone, not the bill.
He put the phone away and walked toward the supervisor's office.
Dellard was still there, slumped behind a desk covered in coffee stains, scrolling through his phone.
"Hey," Ivarn said. "Shipment 4471-B. Forty-eight hydraulic hoses. Where are they?"
Dellard didn't look up. "Checked in Tuesday."
"Checked in by you. But they're not on the shelves."
"Then someone moved them."
"To where?"
Dellard shrugged. "Not my problem. I signed what I saw."
Ivarn set the manifest on the desk. "You signed for forty-eight units. The shelves have zero. That's a problem."
Dellard finally looked up. His expression was tired and a little hostile. "Look, Merrow. The truck came. We unloaded. I signed. End of story."
"Did you actually count them?"
Dellard's jaw tightened. "Are you calling me a liar?"
"I'm asking if you counted."
"I signed the paperwork. That's my job. Counting is inventory's job."
Ivarn stared at him. "I am inventory."
"Then do your job and stop bothering me."
Ivarn picked up the manifest. "I'm keeping a copy of this."
"Knock yourself out."
He turned and walked out.
At 5:30, Ivarn sat in the break room with a cold sandwich and a can of soda. He spread the manifest on the table and studied it.
Delivery: Tuesday, 2:17 PM. Unloaded by Team C. Verified by Dellard. Distributed by…
He stopped.
The distribution section listed aisles seven, twelve, and nineteen. But it also carried a notation he hadn't noticed before. Partial delivery…remainder pending.
Partial delivery. No one had mentioned a partial delivery.
He pulled out his phone and called the supplier's number.
"Meridian Supply, this is Carla."
"Hi, Carla. This is Ivarn Merrow from CrossPoint Distribution. I'm calling about shipment 4471-B."
"Hold on." Keys clicked. "4471-B. Delivered Tuesday. Forty-eight units. Signed for."
"Right. But our records show a partial delivery notation. Can you confirm how many units were actually shipped?"
More clicking. "We shipped forty-eight. All at once. No partials."
"You're sure?"
"I'm looking at the shipping log right now. Forty-eight units left our facility. The driver confirmed delivery."
Ivarn's fingers tapped the table. "Any chance the driver made a mistake?"
"The driver's been with us twelve years. He doesn't make mistakes."
"Everyone makes mistakes, Carla."
"Not this one." Her voice was firm. "You should check your warehouse."
"I am the warehouse."
"Then you have a problem."
She hung up.
Ivarn sat back. Forty-eight units shipped. Forty-eight units signed for. Zero units on the shelves. And a partial delivery notation that nobody could explain.
Something wasn't right.
At 7:15, Ivarn finally left the building.
The parking lot was mostly empty. His car, a ten-year-old sedan with a dented bumper, sat under a flickering streetlight. He walked toward it, keys in hand.
Halfway across the lot, he noticed a car he didn't recognize.
Dark. Parked near the exit. Engine running.
Ivarn slowed. The car was facing away from him, and he couldn't see the driver.
He told himself it was nothing. Someone waiting for a friend. A delivery driver on break.
He unlocked his car and got in.
As he pulled out of the lot, the dark car pulled out behind him.
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