The next morning, Laura arrived at the warehouse earlier than usual. She had a plan to discreetly observe the loading dock and note which employers had access to the high–security areas. She parked her car at the far end of the lot, giving her a clear view of the main entrance and loading bay.
As she sipped her coffee, she watched the early shift workers arrive. Most headed straight inside, but a few lingered by the loading dock, sharing cigarettes and hushed conversations. Laura jotted down names and times in a small notebook, trying to establish patterns.
Around 7:30, she spotted Bob, the warehouse manager, arrive. He looked around furtively before punching in a code to enter the high- security area. Laura made a note of the time and how long he stayed inside.
Throughout the day, Laura found excuses to wander near the loading dock. She volunteered to help with some filing in the nearby storage area, giving her a perfect vantage point to observe comings and goings without arousing suspicion.
During her lunch break, she casually struck up a conversation with one of the security guards, fishing for information about the warehouse’s surveillance system. The guard, eager to impress, revealed that there were blind spots in the camera coverage information Laura filed away for later.
As the week progressed, Laura became more bold in her investigation. She started staying late, ostensibly to catch up on work, but really to monitor after–hours activities. She made a show of being buried in paperwork, but kept her ears perked for any unusual sounds or conversations.
One evening, her patience paid off. As she was preparing to leave, she heard raised voices coming from Bob’s office. Quietly, she crept closer, straining to hear the conversation
“…can’t keep this up forever, Greg,” Bob’s gruff voice carried through the thin walls. “Someone’s gonna notice eventually.”
“Just stick to the plan,” came the reply. Laura’s eyes widened as she recognized the voice of her own manager, Gregory Simmons.” We’ve come too far to back out now. Just make sure the next shipment goes smoothly, alright?”
Laura’s heart raced as she hurried back to her desk, mind reeling from what she’d overheard. This was the break she’d been waiting for – concrete evidence of wrongdoing involving high–level management.
The next day, Laura decided to take a risk. During lunch, when she knew Mr. Simmons would be in a meeting, she suck into his office. With shaking hands, she logged onto his computer using the password she’d seen him enter countless times before.
She quickly began searching through his tiles, looking for anything related to inventory or shipments. Just as she was about to give up, she stumbled upon a hidden folder. Inside were doctored inventory reports, showing a clear pattern of items being marked as ” damaged” or “lost in transit” when they were actually being diverted elsewhere.
Laura’s excitement at her discovery was tempered by the gravity of the situation. This was bigger than she had imagined – a coordinated effort involving multiple levels of management. She knew she had to take this information to someone higher up, someone she could trust.
After careful consideration, Laura decided to approach Mrs Eleanor Parker, the General Manager. She compiled a dossier of her findings and requested a meeting, her stomach chuming with a mix of anticipation and dread.
The day of the meeting arrived, and Laura found herself sitting across from Mrs. Parker in her spacious comer office. The older woman’s face was impassive as Laura laid out her evidence.
“As you can see, Mrs. Parker,” Laura explained, pointing to a spreadsheet, “there’s a clear pattern of discrepancies in the inventory records. High–value items are consistently being marked as lost or damaged, but there’s no corresponding paperwork or insurance claims.”
Mrs. Parker nodded slowly, her expression unreadable. “And you believe this indicates theft?”
Laura took a deep breath. “Yes, ma’am. I’ve overheard conversations that suggest Mr. Simmons and Bob from the warehouse are involved. And these doctored reports I found on Mr. Simmons‘ computer seem to confirm it ”
Mrs. Parker leaned back in her chair, regarding Laura with an inscrutable gaze. “That’s quite an accusation, Ms. McKenna. You understand the seriousness of what you’re suggesting?”
“I do,” Laura replied, trying to keep her voice steady. “I wouldn’t have brought this to you if I wasn’t certain. The evidence is clear.”
Mrs. Parker was silent for a long moment, tapping her fingers on the desk. Finally, she spoke. “I appreciate your diligence, Ms. McKenna. It’s clear you’ve put a lot of work into this investigation.”
Laura felt a surge of hope. “Thank you, Mrs. Parker. I just want to do what’s right for the company.”
But Mrs. Parker’s next words sent a chill down Laura’s spine. “However, I’m concerned that you may be misinterpreting the data. These discrepancies could have perfectly innocent explanations.”
CHAPTER TWENTY–SEVEN–The Truth Hidden Benth
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CHAPTER TWENTY–SEVEN–The Truth Hidden Beneath
Laura blinked in surprise. “But the doctored reports, the conversations Loverheard
Mrs. Parker held up a hand. “Ms. McKenna, tunderstand you’re new to the company and eager to prove yourself. But I assure you, there were any irregularities in our inventory management, I would be aware of them.”
Laura felt her confidence crumbling. “With all due respect, Mrs. Parker, I don’t think you understand the extent of what’s happening here. This isn’t just a few accounting errors. This is systematic theft on a large scale.”
Mrs. Parker’s expression hardened. “I think I understand the situation perfectly, Ms. McKenna, What I don’t understand is why you felt it necessary to conduct this unauthorized investigation, accessing confidential files and eavesdropping on private conversations.”
Laura’s mouth went dry. This wasn’t how the meeting was supposed to go. “I… I was just trying to do the right thing”
“The right thing,” Mrs. Parker repeated, her tone dripping with sarcasm. ‘Tell me, Ms. McKenna, did it occur to you that by accessing Mr. Simmons‘ computer and files, you may have compromised sensitive company information? That your actions could be seen as a
breach of trust?”
