Chapter 3 - CORPORATE SECURITY AT THE GATE
Two corporate security officers and an attorney were waiting when Flight 405 reached the gate.
They boarded before the general passengers were allowed to leave.
The lead officer asked Ryan and Chloe to remain seated.
Ryan stood anyway.
“This is completely unnecessary.”
The attorney introduced herself as Nina Walsh from Northstar’s general counsel’s office.
“Mr. Morgan, your network access has been suspended pending an internal investigation.”
“Based on an accusation from my wife?”
“Based on a report from an executive at the company whose confidential procurement file was visible on a Northstar device.”
Chloe looked down at her laptop.
“It’s my computer.”
“It belongs to Northstar,” Nina said.
Chloe’s fingers tightened around it.
Ryan stepped into the aisle.
“My wife is retaliating because she discovered a personal relationship.”
Nina’s expression remained neutral.
“Your personal relationship is not within the scope of my investigation.”
“It should be, because it explains why she’s doing this.”
I stood behind them with my carry-on bag.
“No, Ryan. The document explains why I made the call.”
His face hardened.
“Claire, stay out of this.”
Nina looked at me.
“Ms. Morgan, Calder’s counsel has requested that you avoid direct discussion with either employee until we preserve the devices.”
Ryan laughed bitterly.
“She’s my wife.”
“Not for much longer,” I said.
The words came out before I had planned them.
Ryan went still.
Chloe stared at me as though divorce had never occurred to her.
Perhaps Ryan had told her I already knew.
Perhaps he had promised I would disappear quietly once he was ready.
Nina asked Chloe to surrender the laptop and company phone.
Chloe handed over the phone.
She refused to release the computer.
“There are personal files on it.”
“That does not change company ownership.”
Ryan moved beside her.
“She needs to speak with an attorney.”
“You both do,” Nina replied.
The officer extended his hand.
After several seconds, Chloe released the laptop.
Passengers filed around us slowly, pretending not to watch.
An older woman stopped beside me.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
I thanked her.
I did not know whether she meant the affair, the stolen files, or the public destruction of a nine-year marriage.
Ryan saw the exchange.
“You wanted an audience.”
“I wanted a husband who didn’t lie.”
“You could have spoken to me privately.”
“You had six months to speak privately.”
“Not here.”
“Where? In Portland?”
Chloe flinched.
Nina asked Ryan to surrender his devices.
He handed over his company phone but claimed his laptop was checked in his suitcase.
Corporate security arranged for the bag to be intercepted before it reached the carousel.
That was when Ryan became truly frightened.
He turned toward Chloe.
“Did you save anything locally?”
Nina heard him.
“So did I.
Chloe’s face went pale.
“I saved what you told me to save.”
“I told you to use the secure drive.”
“You told me the audit couldn’t trace the laptop.”
The corridor seemed to tighten around them.
Ryan grabbed her elbow.
“Stop talking.”
The security officer stepped forward.
“Remove your hand from Ms. Bennett.”
Ryan released her.
I saw the moment Chloe began understanding that Ryan would sacrifice her if it protected him.
She moved away from him.
At the end of the jet bridge, my boss, David Halpern, waited beside Calder’s chief legal officer.
David had flown to Denver the night before to meet with the supplier whose confidential prices had appeared in Northstar’s proposal.
He looked at me with concern.
“Are you all right?”
“No.”
It was the first honest answer I had given anyone.
He took my bag.
“We have a car waiting.”
Ryan followed us into the terminal.
“Claire, you can’t walk away without hearing me.”
I stopped.
He looked exhausted, frightened, and suddenly much older than thirty-five.
“Did you sleep with her?”
Chloe lowered her head.
Ryan glanced toward the people around us.
“Not here.”
“That means yes.”
“It was complicated.”
“Did you take files from my computer?”
“No.”
“Did you know Chloe had them?”
Silence.
I nodded.
“That means yes too.”
He reached for my hand.
I stepped back.
Ryan’s face crumpled.
“I love you.”
David looked away.
Even Chloe seemed embarrassed for him.
I held Ryan’s stare.
“You loved what being married to me gave you.”
“That isn’t true.”
“Then explain the files.”
His mouth tightened.
“I can’t.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“No, Claire.”
May you like
He looked toward the security officers holding his laptop bag.
“I mean I can’t explain them without exposing my mother.”
