Chapter 11 - WHY WARREN WAS AT THE HOTELWarren had arrived at the gala two hours before Nora.
He bought no ticket.
He did not need one.
Twenty-six years in federal investigations had taught him that expensive buildings were easier to enter confidently than cheaply.
He wore a suit.
Carried an old donor badge from a previous event.
Walked in through the lobby.
He saw Derek within twenty minutes.
Not because Derek looked threatening.
Because he looked interested in only one person while pretending to be interested in everyone.
Nora.
Warren observed him.
Derek changed positions whenever Nora moved.
Never close.
Never obvious.
Professional enough.
Not professional enough.
When Nora headed toward the restroom, Derek waited forty seconds.
Then followed.
Warren moved.
That was all.
No master plan.
No heroic intuition.
Only experience meeting luck at the right second.
When Nora finally heard the full story, she became quiet.
“You could have told security earlier.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I wanted to know what he was doing.”
“There.”
Warren frowned.
“What?”
“You still think like that.”
“Like what?”
“Evidence before safety.”
He absorbed the criticism.
“You’re right.”
Again.
Nora sighed.
“Stop agreeing so much. It’s unsettling.”
He smiled.
Then said:
“I should have called security when I first became suspicious.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
She nodded.
Progress.
Not absolution.
Later that day Nora received an email from Priya.
Recovered vendor files revealed C.A. Strategic Consulting had received payments from the foundation for four years.
Total:
$812,400.
Some legitimate services might exist.
Many did not.
One invoice carried Celeste Arden’s electronic approval.
Nora stared.
Then another name appeared beneath it.
Ethan Arden — Secondary Authorization.
Her stomach dropped.
She called Priya.
“What does secondary authorization mean?”
“Depends.”
“Did Ethan approve the payment?”
“Looks like it.”
Nora closed her eyes.
“How many?”
“We’re still checking.”
The story had just changed again.
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The question was no longer only what Ethan knew about Derek.
It was how much he knew about the money.
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