Eleanor worked quickly. A few days later, she arranged a discreet meeting with David Chen, the junior accountant who had first tipped me off at the launch party. We met in a quiet coffee shop, tucked away in a corner booth. David arrived, pale and fidgety, his eyes darting around the room.
He ordered a black coffee, his hands visibly shaking as he lifted the cup.
“Thank you for meeting us, David,” Eleanor said, her voice calm and reassuring.
He swallowed hard. “I… I shouldn’t be here. If Mr. Caldwell finds out…”
“We understand the risk, David,” I interjected, trying to soften my tone. “But what you told me at the party… about the numbers?”
He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. “He’s been… siphoning funds. Not just manipulating the user metrics for investors. He’s taking money directly out of the company for his personal use. Expensive trips, luxury cars… it’s all in the books, just buried under fake expenses.”
My eyes widened. Siphoning funds. That was more than just a shady business practice; that was fraud.
“I have pieces, little scraps,” David whispered, leaning forward. “But he threatened me, personally. Said he’d make sure I’d never work again if I spoke up. He’s got eyes everywhere.”
He looked terrified, caught between his conscience and his fear of Caldwell’s retribution.
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