Not because I was furious.
Because even furious, I would not pretend suspicion was evidence.
By noon, the company’s outside auditors and counsel had been given the records.
Access to several discretionary accounts was restricted while the transactions were reviewed.
We did not call Kevin.
We did not call Melanie.
We did not need to.
They called us.
Melanie reached Alexander first.
He put the call on speaker.
“What have you done?” she demanded.
Alexander remained seated at the conference table.
“Be specific.”
“You’ve frozen normal operations because of some paranoid stunt.”
“Normal operations are continuing.”
“You had no right to cut off my people.”
Alexander’s eyes met mine.
My people.
He said, “Which people are yours, Melanie?”
She went silent.
Then her tone changed.
“This is because of her, isn’t it?”
“Who?” Alexander asked.
“Ava.”
I had not spoken.
Melanie continued, faster now.
“Kevin said she sent some ridiculous photograph.
You married her? Are you insane?”
Alexander answered with maddening calm.
“My personal life is no longer your concern.”
“You think she can understand Sterling Logistics because she balances tax returns?”
I finally spoke.
“I understand thresholds.”
Silence filled the speaker.
I continued.
“And repeated invoices just below them.”
The call ended.
Alexander looked at the dark phone.
“That was not subtle.”
“No.”
“Good.”
Within an hour, Kevin appeared in the lobby downstairs.
Security would not let him onto the executive floor.
He called me from the entrance.
“Ava, come downstairs.”
“No.”
“You need to hear my side.”
“I heard your side at our kitchen table.
You called the agreement paperwork.”
His voice dropped.
“I was trying to protect the company.”
“From what?”
“You know construction.
Cash gets tight.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
He exhaled angrily.
