The CEO Nobody Knew

Chapter 7: The Investigation Begins

The next morning, Mac sat in his penthouse office overlooking Nixon City, reading through every document he could find about Robert Chen's case. Shirley sat across from him, nervously sipping coffee and looking like she hadn't slept much.

"I still can't believe last night actually happened," she said quietly. "Those men, that place... Mac, who are you really?"

Mac looked up from the legal papers. "I told you. I'm Michael Clarke, a business consultant."

"Business consultants don't usually have the power to walk into criminal compounds and demand the release of hostages."

Mac set down the documents. She was right to be suspicious, but he couldn't reveal his true identity yet. Not until he understood exactly what they were dealing with.

"Let's focus on your father's case for now. According to these court records, he was convicted of stealing two million dollars from Thompson Bank over a three-year period."

Shirley shook her head firmly. "That's impossible. My father is the most honest man I know. He wouldn't steal a penny, let alone millions of dollars."

"Then help me prove it." Mac pulled out the contract she'd signed two days ago. "This agreement makes you my research assistant. Your job is to help me investigate cases of potential wrongful conviction. Your father's case is our first project."

Shirley read through the contract again, paying more attention this time. "These clauses about confidentiality and exclusivity..."

"Standard for sensitive work. If we're going to prove your father's innocence, we'll be dealing with information that powerful people want to keep hidden."

"Like Thompson Bank?"

"Exactly like Thompson Bank."

Mac's assistant knocked and entered with a stack of files. "Mr. Clarke, I have the financial records you requested for the Chen case."

After the assistant left, Mac spread the documents across his desk. Bank statements, transaction records, audit reports, everything related to Robert Chen's work at Thompson Bank.

"Your father was a senior accountant there for fifteen years. Excellent performance reviews, no disciplinary actions, multiple promotions." Mac pointed to a timeline he'd created. "Then suddenly, three years ago, large amounts of money started disappearing from accounts he managed."

Shirley studied the papers. "But look at the dates. The money disappeared on days when my father was in the hospital."

Mac looked closer. She was right. According to the medical records, Robert Chen had been undergoing surgery for a heart condition during several of the alleged theft dates.

"How did his lawyers miss this?"

"They didn't have access to his medical records. The hospital wouldn't release them without his permission, and by the time we got them, the trial was over."

Mac made notes on his legal pad. "What else can you tell me about the weeks before his arrest?"

Shirley thought for a moment. "He was acting strange. Staying late at work, making phone calls he wouldn't talk about. He seemed worried about something."

"Worried how?"

"Like he'd discovered something he wasn't supposed to know. He kept telling me to be careful, to avoid going out alone at night. I thought he was just being overprotective."

Mac's phone rang. Marcus Webb.

"Mac, I have some interesting information about Thompson Bank. Are you somewhere we can talk freely?"

Mac glanced at Shirley. "I'm with my new research assistant. She's cleared for this conversation."

"The bank has a very unusual financial structure. They're profitable, but their money comes from sources that don't make sense for a normal bank."

"What kind of sources?"

"Loans to companies that don't exist. Deposits from overseas accounts that can't be traced. Transaction patterns that look more like money laundering than legitimate banking."

Shirley's eyes widened as she listened to the conversation.

"How long has this been going on?"

"At least five years, maybe longer. But here's the interesting part, the irregularities started becoming more obvious around the time Robert Chen was arrested."

Mac and Shirley exchanged glances. "Almost like someone removed the person who might have noticed the problems."

"Exactly. Mac, I think Robert Chen wasn't stealing money from Thompson Bank. I think he discovered they were stealing money from their customers."

After Mac ended the call, Shirley sat back in her chair, looking overwhelmed.

"My father discovered they were criminals, so they framed him to shut him up."

"That's what it looks like. But we need proof."

"How do we get proof? All the evidence is probably locked away in Thompson Bank's files."

Mac smiled. "Not all of it. Your father was an accountant, right? They're trained to keep backup records of everything."

"You think he kept copies?"

"I think a man who was worried enough to tell his daughter to be careful would have protected himself somehow."

Mac's phone buzzed with a text message from an unknown number: "Stop digging into the Chen case. This is your only warning."

He showed the message to Shirley, who went pale.

"They're watching us."

"Good. It means we're on the right track." Mac stood up and walked to his window. "Shirley, I need to ask you something important. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to prove your father's innocence?"

"Of course."

"Even if it means going against powerful people who don't want the truth to come out?"

Shirley joined him at the window, looking out at the city where her father was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit.

"My father has been in prison for three years for something he didn't do. His health is getting worse every month, and I'm drowning in debt trying to pay for his legal appeals." She turned to face Mac. "Yes, I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

"Even if it's dangerous?"

"Especially if it's dangerous. Because that means we're getting close to the truth."

Mac nodded approvingly. "Good. Because our next step is going to be very dangerous indeed."

"What's our next step?"

"We're going to break into Thompson Bank."

Shirley stared at him. "Are you serious?"

"Completely serious. If your father kept backup records of what he discovered, and if Thompson Bank has been destroying evidence, then the only way to get proof is to take it ourselves."

"That's... that's illegal."

"So is framing innocent people for crimes they didn't commit." Mac pulled out a building schematic from his desk drawer. "I've been planning this since yesterday. Thompson Bank's security system has a weakness that we can exploit."

Shirley looked at the building plans, her hands shaking slightly. "Mac, if we get caught..."

"We won't get caught. But Shirley, once we do this, there's no going back. Thompson Bank will know we're coming for them, and they'll do whatever it takes to stop us."

"Including what they did last night?"

"Including worse than what they did last night."

Shirley was quiet for a long moment, staring at the schematic. Finally, she looked up at Mac with determination in her eyes.

"When do we do it?"

"Tonight. Thompson Bank's night security shifts change at midnight, giving us a fifteen-minute window when the building will be minimally guarded."

Mac's phone rang again. This time it was a call from Thompson Bank itself.

"Mr. Clarke? This is Harold Thompson. I believe we need to have another conversation."

Mac put the call on speaker so Shirley could hear.

"Mr. Thompson. What can I do for you?"

"You can stop making inquiries about Robert Chen. The man is a convicted criminal, and continued investigation into his case will only cause problems for everyone involved."

"Problems for who?"

"For you, Mr. Clarke. And especially for Miss Chen."

Shirley's face went white, but Mac's expression remained calm.

"Is that a threat, Mr. Thompson?"

"It's friendly advice. Some cases are better left closed."

"And if we choose not to take your advice?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Then you'll discover that Thompson Bank has many ways of protecting its interests."

The line went dead, leaving Mac and Shirley staring at each other.

"He knows we're investigating," Shirley whispered.

"Yes, he does. Which means we're running out of time." Mac folded up the building schematic and put it in his jacket pocket. "Are you ready for this?"

Shirley took a deep breath. "I'm ready."

But as they prepared to leave the office, neither of them noticed the small listening device that had been planted under Mac's desk, or the man in the building across the street who was photographing their every move through a high-powered camera lens.