Corporate Secrets

CHAPTER 15

"I've studied her a little bit while she has been here, and that's why even though all of the evidence seems to point to the contrary, I'm inclined to think that she's innocent. It just feels too...arranged. Like someone planned it all out to look this way."

I want to believe him. I so desperately want to believe him. But just like he said, all the evidence points to her being Manning's accomplice, or at least his aid, in the things he did.

Thankfully, Barnes has gone to pick him up now. Once he gets here, we'll be able to get the entire story. My mind isn't on the squabbling going on between Richard and Leah. Instead, I wonder what I'm going to do if it turns out that she's innocent.

I judged based on the evidence I was given. I thought I was doing a good thing by not having her charged to court. I have to assume her guilt because I cannot deal with the thought of her being innocent.

I'm standing by the window when Barnes and Gabe finally arrive. Manning is in handcuffs - I don't think that's strictly legal for guys in the PI business, but whatever works.

I glance at Richard and Leah. They get the message and swiftly excuse themselves. Barnes and Gabe leave as well, with Gabe telling me they'll wait outside.

"So, Manning," I say when it's just the both of us, going to take a sit at the desk. "I'll be letting the men hand you over to the authorities soon enough, but right now it's my turn. Tell me everything."

While he swallows, his eyes shifting from side to side as if he's expecting some help from somewhere, I study him. He's a small man, about as tall as Barnes maybe. His grey looks scared and tired. His hair looks bedraggled and not well-groomed. Perhaps being on the run hasn't given him enough time to bask in the money he stole.

"Still waiting," I tell him after a few moments of silence.

"Look, I didn't know things were going to get this bad." His voice when he speaks is strong, yet it comes out shaking. "I didn't know, I swear on my life. It wasn't supposed to be crazy like this. I owed some people money from some bad personal investments that I made. So I borrowed from the company to keep myself afloat for a while.

"It was only supposed to be a little, and for a little while. I was going to return everything back. But I kept losing, and I kept taking until I knew if I didn't do something drastic soon, I would lose my job."

He sobs, rattling His handcuffs a little. "So one day I was trying to figure out what to do. I thought maybe I would go to New York, to see Mr. Charlton. But this man comes in. He tells me he can help me, that he knows me and knows I'm in financial trouble.

"I never imagined that it would turn into something like this. I mean you see it in the movies, and you think that's just movies, right? Until you start living it. First, once the money I owed was deposited in my bank account, I was supposed to restore it back. Instead, I wasted all on other things.

"At first, they only asked for little things. You know, information about a deal that was going down, then later it became bigger and bigger stuff. And kept collecting the money, wondering when the axe was going to fall on my head."

He took in another ragged breath before he continued. "The day that the young woman threatened a lawsuit against the firm, it would have been easy enough to pay her to stay away. But she went to New York, to see Charlton. That was the moment I knew it was over for me."

I get up from my chair to pace around the room after a while, walking to look outside the window, wondering for a moment where Anne is. I remind myself not to think of her again, and focus on what Manning is talking about.

"I got my stuff and ran as fast as I could. I was in too deep, and I could not dig myself out of the mess. I've been running ever since, and your people have been chasing me down for too long. Your people and the others."