Trial 3

Chapter 3: The Investigation Begins

The hum of my office phone was the first sound that broke the silence of my morning. I had been up late, pouring over documents that were a tangle of financial records, emails, and corporate memos from Dominic Hayes’ company. A part of me wondered if I was diving too deep too quickly, but I knew I had to get a full grasp of the situation. One thing had become crystal clear: nothing about this case was going to be easy.

Picking up the phone, I didn’t even need to glance at the caller ID. I knew it would be him—Dominic Hayes. The one client who seemed to have an uncanny way of making his presence known, even from miles away.

“Ms. Caldwell,” his voice was smooth, almost too smooth, as usual. “I trust you’ve started reviewing the documents I sent over?”

I let out a sigh, sinking deeper into the chair, the leather creaking under my weight. “I’ve started. It’s a lot to go through, but I’m getting there.”

“I trust that you’ll uncover the truth,” he said, and though his tone was measured, I could sense the quiet intensity behind the words. “I’m counting on you.”

There it was again. The undertone of desperation. His empire was crumbling, and I was the only one who could piece it back together. Or shatter it completely. The stakes had never felt so high.

“I’m still digging through the numbers,” I replied, shifting the papers on my desk. “But I’ll keep you updated as I uncover things.”

“I’d expect nothing less,” he said, and then the call ended abruptly, leaving only the soft click of the receiver in my hand. The weight of the conversation settled over me like a heavy cloak.

Dropping the receiver back into its cradle, I leaned back in my chair, staring out the window of my office at the city below. It was a crisp morning, and the sun reflected off the glass of the skyscrapers like liquid gold. A perfect day to start digging deeper into the mess I had inherited.

I had already spent several hours combing through the financials of Hayes Enterprises. On the surface, everything looked pristine—clean balance sheets, high profits, and a brand that seemed to be doing everything right. But the deeper I looked, the more questions I found. Invoices that didn’t match up. Payments to third-party companies with no clear purpose. Off-the-record deals with shell companies whose names were too familiar for comfort. I had been in the business long enough to recognize the signs of corruption.

Dominic had told me he wanted the truth, but I wasn’t sure whether he could handle it. At this point, I was starting to wonder whether the scandal he was facing was the result of his own mismanagement or if someone had set him up. And if he was guilty, how far would he go to protect his empire?

The uncertainty gnawed at me, but there was one thing I knew for sure—I wasn’t in this to make friends, and I wasn’t in it for easy answers.

I began organizing my notes into separate folders: one for Dominic’s direct dealings, one for the company’s financials, and one for the suspicious third parties. Each file seemed to tell a different part of the story, but they all pointed in the same direction: someone in the company was dirty. I just didn’t know who yet.

My first stop was going to be the office of Dominic’s CFO, a man by the name of Lucas Kramer. He had been working for Hayes Enterprises for nearly a decade, and I had a feeling he knew more than he let on. If there was anyone who might have insight into the deeper layers of the company, it was him.

The drive to his office was short, but my mind was racing with possibilities. I had already pulled Lucas’ background, and while he was well-connected, I had also found traces of his involvement in questionable financial transactions that had been swept under the rug. A part of me wondered if he was in over his head, or if he was playing a much deeper game. Either way, he was a loose end I needed to tie up.

His office was located in one of the more discreet parts of the city, a modern building with steel accents and dark glass windows. When I arrived, the receptionist led me to a small conference room, where I sat, waiting for Lucas to arrive. I felt the coolness of the air conditioning against my skin, but there was a knot in my stomach that wouldn’t go away. This wasn’t just another corporate meeting—it was the beginning of something bigger, something that would change everything.

When Lucas entered the room, he exuded the kind of confidence I had come to expect from top-tier executives. He was tall, with sharp features and an easy smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. He extended a hand, but I declined the offer, not wanting to indulge in pleasantries.

“Ms. Caldwell,” he said, sitting across from me. His tone was cordial, but there was an underlying tension I could sense. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’m here to ask you a few questions about Hayes Enterprises,” I said, my voice steady. I wasn’t here to play games—I had a job to do.

“I see,” he replied, his smile faltering ever so slightly. “What exactly do you want to know?”

“I’ve been reviewing the company’s financials, and I noticed some discrepancies,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “Payments to certain third-party vendors that don’t seem to match up with any legitimate business dealings. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

Lucas’ expression didn’t change, but his posture stiffened. It was subtle, but I could see it. I had hit a nerve.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” he said smoothly. “All of our transactions are fully documented and accounted for.”

“Really?” I said, leaning forward slightly, my gaze fixed on his. “Because from where I sit, it looks like you’ve been paying off shell companies. Companies with no address, no employees, and no legitimate business dealings. Do you expect me to believe that’s all above board?”

He hesitated, just long enough to confirm my suspicions. But then he recovered, smoothing his shirt cuffs and sitting back in his chair.

“Ms. Caldwell,” he said, his voice a little colder now. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the saying, ‘don’t believe everything you read.’ The financial world is complex. Sometimes, deals are made through intermediaries. It’s not always as clear as it seems.”

I narrowed my eyes, sensing that he was playing the “I’m too busy and important to explain” card. But I wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily.

“I’m not here to play games, Mr. Kramer,” I said, my tone turning sharp. “I’m here to uncover the truth. If you’re involved in anything illegal, I’m going to find out. And if you’re protecting someone, I’ll find that out too. So why don’t you save us both some time and start talking?”

Lucas seemed to consider this for a moment, his eyes flicking to the door as if contemplating an exit strategy. But then he sighed, leaning back in his chair with a resigned look on his face.

“I don’t know how much I can tell you,” he said, his voice quieter now. “But I’ll tell you this—I don’t think Dominic knows about everything that’s going on. He’s too focused on the public image of his company, and that’s been the problem. There are things happening within Hayes Enterprises that he doesn’t know about, things that could bring everything down if they come to light.”

The knot in my stomach tightened. This was the break I needed, but it also raised more questions. Was Dominic really in the dark? Or was he playing a long game, one that would lead us down a rabbit hole we might never escape?

“Who’s behind it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Who’s pulling the strings?”

Lucas looked around the room nervously, as if expecting someone to be listening in. “I can’t say for certain. But I have a hunch. There’s a group within the company—people who have been skimming profits, covering their tracks. I think they’ve been doing it for years.”

“Who?” I pressed.

“I don’t know,” he said, his voice shaking slightly. “But I’ve seen their names pop up in the financial reports. People who have been in the background, pulling the strings.”

That was it. That was the lead I needed. But it also felt like the tip of an iceberg. What was Dominic Hayes really involved in? And how far would I need to dig to uncover the full truth?

I stood up, my mind racing with the possibilities. “Thank you, Mr. Kramer. I’ll be in touch.”

He didn’t say anything as I left the room, but I could feel his eyes on my back. I knew I had made him nervous, and I also knew that this was far from over.

I had a feeling that this investigation was about to take me into deeper waters than I had anticipated. And Dominic Hayes? He was just the beginning.