"Settling was love.Too"

Today was definitely a lazy morning, but she had to be productive. Infact she has back to back appointments... But the investigator texted so... She's putting him first, art can wait.

"Who was that on the phone last night ?" her father asked, peering over his newspaper with that gentle but pointed concern reserved for moments when intuition outpaced evidence. He's not one to ask questions.

Okay..... This was definitely not what sge wants to be asked so early in the morning....

Debra kept her tone light, placing the receiver back with a soft click. "Just Lean,"she lied smoothly, swiping a strand of hair behind her ear. "We're finalizing the guest list for the coding event . You know how she gets when things aren't perfect. "

Her father nodded slowly, seeming to accept it, though his eyes lingered a moment longer than usual.

"You and Lean...just friends, colleagues or what?" Mr Harrison asked still reading his newspaper.

"ummm we just close".... Certainly they ain't friends, loverss?.. No, Lean is sketchy.

"I'll talk to her when i get time to pass by the company"

"ohh okay, later dad gotta run" she said walking out of the house, her father only wants to see someone when its serious..

That evening, Debra waited until the house had gone quiet—the hum of the fridge, the distant chirp of cicadas, the faint creak of floorboards beneath sleeping bodies. She slipped into her jacket, grabbed the manila folder she'd been keeping hidden behind a stack of novels, and stepped out.

.....

The investigator, Mr. Fynn, was already seated in the shadowed corner of the cafe, a black coffee steaming in front of him. He didn't smile when she approached, but he nodded-respectful, brisk.

"You came alone?" he asked.

"I had to," Debra said. "If they knew what I suspected…" she said as she shock her head. Signaling the waitress to come take her order.

He slid a photo across the table. Her breath hitched.

Hale Aries. Tech Haven. The document dated two months prior-proving funds had been redirected to accounts in Indonesia . Not legal ones. Shady and this just proved her suspicions,she was right.

"There's a whistleblower," Fynn said. "She came forward last week. She says your Hale Aries used your father's name on half the paperwork."

Debra's stomach turned. "So they'll think it was my dad."

"Unless someone pieces the timeline together and intervenes."

" But how did they use my father's name, yet his also putting his own money into the project, doesn't make sense. He wont get anything unless if the board members with more shares are in it too".

" you have a point there, the critical part is knowing who is in it too... Definitely his daughter is in".

"I know Clarissa is in it"

"I'll find out more, and let you know"

She nodded, lips pressed tightly. Her mind spun. She couldn't confront Hale Aries without straight proof. She couldn't tell her father without context. And she absolutely couldn't let the authorities charge an innocent man... If he's even innocent... But these documents prove his guilty right..right..

Urgh!!!!!

......

Before she went back home she photocopied everything making sure she did not leave anything out . Hid them inside the lining of her sketchbook, the one she always carried around but no one ever opened. She's an artist after all, her sketch book is always close incase inspiration strikes.

.......

Two days later, just after dinner, she sat her parents down in the living room. No preamble, no buildup-just the truth, she had to tell them.

"what's this intimate meeting about"?... Her father asked looking impatient.

"I need to show you something," she said, opening the sketchbook.

They watched in silence as she pulled out the papers. Names, dates, evidence and every other document she got and photocopied.

"this better be worth it Debra, Its way past my bed time" her mom said yawning, while accepting the documents Deb was handing over to her.

Her mother's hand flew to her mouth after processing what was in the documents . Her father-stock-still-held the page, his expression unreadable. Then he looked up.

"Debra…" he started, voice barely above a whisper.

She waited.

Letting the quiet do what it does best....