Chapter 6: The Closed Door
969 Words
Lena Hart arrived at Blackwood International earlier than usual.
She had barely slept.
The message from the night before kept replaying in her mind.
STOP LOOKING INTO THE PAST.
It should have frightened her.
Instead, it had made her more determined.
By eight thirty, she was already at her desk, reviewing everything she had discovered about Meridian Capital Partners.
There were gaps everywhere.
Missing transactions.
Deleted records.
Companies that existed on paper but seemed to have no real operations.
The deeper she looked, the less sense the financial history made.
Lena opened the internal database and searched for Meridian again.
The result surprised her.
ACCESS RESTRICTED.
She frowned.
She tried another search.
Nothing.
She checked the company's subsidiary records.
Still nothing.
Someone had locked the information.
Lena leaned back.
"Interesting."
She remembered Alexander's warning.
Certain records were not meant to be touched.
But he had never told her which ones.
That made her want to know even more.
She stood and walked toward the executive floor.
When she reached the forty-second floor, Alexander's office door was already open.
He was on the phone.
"Move the meeting to tomorrow."
He listened for a moment.
"No. I said tomorrow."
He ended the call when he noticed Lena.
His expression immediately hardened.
"You're early."
"I have a question."
"About?"
"Meridian."
Alexander's face changed.
It was subtle.
But Lena had learned to recognize his reactions.
"Come inside."
She did.
He closed the door behind her.
"What did you find?"
"The records are restricted."
"I know."
"Why?"
"Because they're confidential."
"That's not an explanation."
"It is when you're an employee."
Lena folded her arms.
"You told me to investigate suspicious transactions."
"Relevant transactions."
"Meridian is relevant."
"Not anymore."
She stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
The answer irritated her.
"You can't hire me to uncover the truth and then decide which parts of the truth I'm allowed to see."
Alexander stepped around his desk.
"I'm not stopping you from investigating."
"You're stopping me from accessing records."
"Some records are off-limits."
"Which ones?"
He looked at her.
"The ones behind that door."
Lena followed his gaze.
At the far end of the office was a dark wooden door she hadn't noticed before.
Unlike the glass doors throughout the building, this one had no handle on the outside.
Only a security panel.
"What's in there?"
"Nothing you need."
"That's exactly what people say when there's something important inside."
Alexander's expression tightened.
"That room contains archived company records."
"Then why can't I access them?"
"Because they're private."
"Company records aren't private if I'm investigating financial misconduct."
"They are when I tell you they are."
Lena stared at him.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then she walked toward the door.
"Lena."
She stopped.
Alexander's voice had changed.
It was no longer calm.
"Don't."
She turned.
"Why?"
"Because I'm warning you."
"I've heard that before."
"And you ignored me."
"Yes."
He walked toward her.
"This time, I'm serious."
Lena looked at the security panel.
"What's so dangerous about a room full of files?"
Alexander stopped a few feet away.
"Some files were never meant to be found."
Her heart skipped.
"Does that include my father's records?"
He said nothing.
Lena's eyes narrowed.
"Alexander."
"Yes."
The answer came quietly.
She stared at him.
"You have more records about my father in there."
"I have records connected to the investigation."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because they're incomplete."
"I don't care."
"I do."
"Why?"
Alexander's jaw tightened.
"Because the last person who tried to uncover what was inside that room didn't survive."
Lena went still.
"What?"
"Michael Grant."
Her eyes widened.
"The executive who approved the transfers?"
"Yes."
"He died eleven years ago."
"I know."
"How?"
"He accessed that room."
Lena looked at the door again.
"What did he find?"
"I don't know."
"Then how do you know it was connected to his death?"
"Because he called me the night before he died."
Her breath caught.
"What did he say?"
Alexander's expression became distant.
"He told me I'd been looking in the wrong place."
"And then?"
"He never called again."
Silence filled the office.
Lena looked at the locked door.
For the first time, it didn't look like an ordinary archive.
It looked like a warning.
"You think someone killed him."
"I think someone wanted him silent."
"Same thing."
Alexander didn't argue.
Lena stepped closer to him.
"Did my father ever enter that room?"
Alexander hesitated.
That was enough.
"He did."
"When?"
"Three days before he was accused."
Lena's pulse raced.
"What did he find?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know, or you won't tell me?"
"I don't know."
She searched his face.
This time, she believed him.
But she wasn't satisfied.
"Then I'll find out."
"No."
His voice was firm.
"You will not enter that room."
Lena stared at him.
"You're ordering me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want another person connected to this investigation ending up dead."
The words silenced her.
Alexander moved closer.
"Investigate Meridian. Investigate the financial transfers. Follow every legitimate lead."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"But stay away from that door."
Lena swallowed.
"And if I don't?"
His expression darkened.
"Then I won't be able to protect you."
Something about the way he said it unsettled her more than the warning itself.
She stepped back.
"You shouldn't have said that."
"Why?"
"Because now I know there's something worth protecting."
Alexander's eyes narrowed.
"Lena."
But she was already walking toward the door.
Not to open it.
Not yet.
She stopped beside it and looked at the security panel.
A small red light blinked beneath the keypad.
Then, unexpectedly, the light turned green.
Lena froze.
Alexander noticed.
His face drained of color.
Neither of them moved.
The locked door clicked.
Someone had just unlocked it.
From the other side.
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End of Chapter 6
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