Page 60 of His Wall

Nolan set his coffee down.

"You're saying Conrad was behind Graham."

"I'm saying we stopped asking the question too early."

The room went quiet.

I sat with my hands wrapped around the cold mug and the morning light coming in through the glass at Nolan's back and the floor in my chest dropping away.

I had been the one who shelved Graham. I had sat in this same room and told them to let it go. I had known. Not for certain. Enough.

"Jules."

"Yeah."

"You agree?"

I made my mouth move.

"I agree."

"If Conrad had someone inside our firm once," Nolan said, "he could have someone inside now."

He turned his head toward me.

"Jules. Your assistant."

"What about her?"

"She came on four months ago."

"She came on through a vetted recruiter. I sat in her interview. I watched her deliver a restructured calendar on day one. She has never been near our financial systems. She handles my schedule."

"I am not accusing her, Jules. I am saying the question has to be asked of every recent hire."

"Then ask it of every recent hire."

"That's what I'm saying."

I put the mug down harder than I meant to. The coffee sloshed to the rim.

Declan looked at me. He had not seen me defensive in five years. He let it sit for a second.

"He's not wrong, Jules. Anyone hired in the last twelve months. Every credential. Every access log. We pull it all."

"Fine."

"Tonight."

"Fine, Dec."

He picked the highlighter back up. The yellow cap was still off.

"I will not let this happen again. If he is making a move at this firm, I want every door he could walk through closed by Friday."

"Closed by Friday," Nolan said.

"Closed by Friday," I said.