Chapter 38 - the woman in the elevator
Celeste entered the headquarters through the underground garage.
Security cameras showed her walking alone, carrying the blue folder Gideon believed contained the original ledger. She appeared uninjured, but someone followed her from outside the cameras’ range.
Nora ordered security to lock the executive floors without trapping Celeste inside an elevator.
The elevator reached level thirty-two.
When the doors opened, Celeste stumbled into the corridor. Her coat was torn at the sleeve, and one side of her face was bruised, but she remained conscious.
She gripped Nora’s arm.
“Gideon knows about the audit disclosure.”
“How?”
“Elias gave him the schedule.”
Owen checked the stairwell while Grace called law enforcement.
Celeste explained that after leaving the hotel, she met Elias at a safe apartment. Elias claimed Nora planned to sacrifice them both to protect Malcolm.
When Celeste refused to surrender the ledger copies, Elias contacted Gideon.
“They argued,” she said. “Elias thought Gideon still needed him. Gideon said Northstar was already lost.”
“How did you escape?”
“Gideon wanted me to deliver this.”
She handed Nora the blue folder.
Inside was a confession signed by Malcolm. It stated that he alone had created the false medical report, stolen the licensing money and arranged Elias’s disappearance.
Malcolm’s signature appeared genuine.
“He wants Malcolm to accept everything,” Grace said.
Celeste nodded.
“In exchange, Gideon promised to protect Maya and Owen from prosecution.”
Nora understood the trap.
If Malcolm signed publicly, the investigation could end before reaching Gideon. The company would survive, Malcolm would fall and Gideon would remain hidden behind the trustees and lenders he controlled.
“Where is Malcolm?” Nora asked.
Celeste pointed toward the top floor.
“Gideon told him to wait in the old executive dining room.”
Nora took the private elevator.
Malcolm stood beside the windows, holding a pen above another copy of the confession.
Gideon’s attorney waited across the table.
Nora removed the paper from beneath Malcolm’s hand.
“You are not signing this.”
Malcolm stared at her.
May you like
“Why are you protecting me?”
“I am protecting the truth from becoming smaller than the crime.”
