Page 4 of Crude Heir

“Yes, please.” I adjust the tray in my hands, willing it to hold for just a few more minutes.

He presses the button then, as usual, he focuses on his cell. The doors close and the proximity in the enclosed space, sends a shiver of awareness through me. We start the ride up, with a steady hum of the elevator. Normally, I’d just keep to myself and enjoy the quiet, but something tells me today isn’t a normal day.

The numbers light up, taking their sweet time to switch from one to the next. No amount of will or prayer will change that. We finally hit double digits on the panel. Only, to my dismay, I catch movement in my peripheral vision. He glances up, openlystudying me—something he’s never done before. At least, not that I’ve been aware of. It’s like he suddenly realized I’m here, and that has the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.

A ball of anxiety ricochets within my chest. The air around us seems charged. Words. Small talk. It’s what people do in a situation like this. I try to avert my gaze, fighting the urge to fidget under his scrutiny. Being the focus of his full attention unnerves me. What caused it, when every other time I’ve been able to stay all but invisible to him?

Any one of the girls on my floor would give up a week’s vacation to be in my shoes right now. But the last thing I need is for anyone, especially someone linked to the executives, to take notice of me.

* * *

Derrick

The doors slide shut. I scroll through the inbox on my phone, stopping to look at a random email for a minute or two. It’s a general practice I use to avoid conversation when stuck in an elevator with somebody.

Although Addler’s parting laughter annoyed me, I can’t help but be intrigued. Who could have taken so much money from the company? And how did they do it? If the accounting staff, and Keith Kelly himself, didn’t realize this was happening, the person has to be very good at covering their tracks.

It wouldn’t take much to look into a few of these people to try and find something that isn’t mentioned in a background check. A quick swap on the link from the company’s home page, and I can get most people’s information without them realizing what they provided. I’m just not sure what I’m looking for.

I’m familiar with the execs at the top because they’ve been here since I was a teenager. The guys in the control room were a challenge, but once I got them to stop streaming live videos, they were okay. I set up the systems, my first major project when I came in, and they all have to do with well levels around the country. I don’t see how any of them would have access to the money that’s gone missing.

That takes me to the accounting department. The payment group is made up of women I try to avoid. None of them have been here more than a few years. Nobody stands out…except Nicole.

I glance up at the woman in question, watching her standing in the corner, trying to blend into the background, which bothers me.

On the surface, she seems quiet, polite, and unobtrusive. Everything I don’t look for in a woman. Yet, she managed to get in my head on day one. She’s so damn sweet that every time I catch sight of her, I want to corrupt her.

I tap the side of my phone as I try to figure out the best way to approach the situation. Considering what they do in her department, she’d touch thousands of transactions as part of her regular duties. So what now? It’s not like I can go up to her and ask if she’s taking home a couple of mil at the end of the month.

However, being that I’m in IT, I have a built-in reason to check her computer. Whatever the thief is doing has to leave a digital footprint. Though that brings me full circle. I’m back to not knowing what I’m looking for. Somehow, even if I go through everything she’s done, I don’t think I’m going to find anything.

The longer we’re here, the more my annoyance seems to build. I glance at the panel. We’re nearly halfway to her floor. Time’s running out, and I won’t find a better opportunity than this to set something up. She’s usually one of the last ones out, so I can make that work to my advantage.

I clear my throat, getting her attention. “Nicole, will you be working late?”

Her eyes open wide as she stares in my direction and nods. “Yes,” she whispers.

There she goes again, looking like an innocent young girl. I wonder if she’s aware of it, or if she just does it to irritate me. “I need to bring down the system.” I hold up my phone, as if I just received an email notification about it.

“When?” she asks, her brow wrinkling in dismay.

“At the end of the day.” That should be enough pressure to have her do what I want. But her shoulders droop, and I have a moment to second-guess myself.

“Oh drat.” She chews on her bottom lip and my mouth waters.

“Don’t you ever have something outside of work to keep you busy?” The words come out before I can think better of it. Why I would choose to ask that question is beyond me.

Her face flushes as she fidgets. “It’s a short week, and we have to get everything prepped to do a check run.”

“You’re working the holiday?”

She nods. “A few hours.”

“You can’t just work remotely?”

“It’s not something Mr. Kelly, um, the-the younger Mr. Kelly, allows.”

“Of course not,” I mutter. “It’s a stupid rule,” I snap. “Considering what you do, you have clearance.”

---