Garrett Caldwell appeared in Arthur Finch’s office like a shadow. He didn’t knock. One moment the door was closed, the next it was open, revealing Garrett’s imposing figure.
“Finch,” Garrett said, his voice unusually low, a forced casualness that didn’t quite mask the desperation in his eyes. He closed the door behind him. “Just wanted to see how you were doing.”
Arthur, startled, straightened in his chair. “Mr. Caldwell. Fine, thank you.”
Garrett leaned against the desk, too close. His expensive cologne, usually a subtle scent, now felt cloying. “Look, I know you’re a smart man. Meticulous. You see things others miss.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened. Garrett knew. He had sensed a leak, knew Arthur was closing in.
“Some things are better left unseen, wouldn’t you agree?” Garrett continued, pulling a small, discreet flash drive from his pocket. He placed it silently on the desk. “This contains access details to an offshore account. Five million dollars, Finch. Untraceable.”
Arthur stared at the drive. Five million dollars. A life-changing sum.
“All you have to do,” Garrett continued, his voice barely a whisper, “is forget whatever you might have found. Walk away. No one has to get hurt.”
Garrett’s desperate tone, the explicit bribe, the way his eyes flickered with panic—it cemented Finch’s resolve. This wasn’t just a misstep or a cover-up; it was outright criminal activity. He thought of Lily Caldwell, her innocent face, her honest, simple words that had led him down this path.
He looked from the flash drive to Garrett’s pleading, calculating eyes.
“I can’t,” Arthur said, his voice clear and steady. The words, once unthinkable, felt right. He knew he was crossing a line that could cost him everything, but the alternative was a betrayal of a different kind.
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