Chapter 6 - The Boardroom Trap
The following morning, Damien called an emergency meeting of the executive board at the Atlantic Harbor Logistics headquarters. The atmosphere in the conference room was electric with tension. Rumors had spread that Erin Walsh had been suspended following an internal audit, and that Damien was on a warpath.
Damien sat at the head of the massive glass table, flanked by Frank and two armed guards. The board members—five men and two women who controlled various arms of the Syndicate’s legal and illegal operations—sat in nervous silence.
"Miss Walsh is no longer with the company," Damien announced, his voice smooth, completely void of emotion.
A collective breath was released around the table. Victor Reyes, the chief logistical officer, adjusted his gold silk tie and leaned forward.
"A necessary move, Damien," Reyes said smoothly. "She was slipping. We all saw it. The Rotterdam tallies were late, the local distribution routes were disorganized. A company like ours cannot afford emotional attachments to staff who can't hold their weight."
"Indeed," said Marcus Thorne, the senior board member. "It’s tragic, of course. She served you well for three years. But business is business. Has her access to the secondary ledgers been revoked?"
"It has," Damien lied flawlessly. "Her files have been backed up to a single hard drive currently stored in my private office safe. A full audit will begin tomorrow morning."
Damien watched their faces carefully. He saw the subtle exchange of glances between Reyes and Thorne—the slight tight smile on Reyes's lips, the quick nod from Thorne.
They thought they had won. They believed Erin was out of the picture, her protection stripped, and her secret files sitting in a predictable location.
"Meeting adjourned," Damien said, standing up. "I expect everyone’s quarterly reports on my desk by six PM."
As the board members filed out, Frank stepped closer to Damien. "Which one do you think it is?"
"Both of them," Damien replied, watching Reyes walk out the door. "Reyes provided the execution; Thorne provided the funding. They want the ledgers to sell to the Russian syndicate in New York. But they made one mistake."
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"What’s that?" Frank asked.
"They thought I’d let Erin go without a fight." Damien’s eyes flickered with a lethal light. "Set the trap for tonight. Let them think the office is empty."
