Me: I admit I left with a bag.
HR leaned back.
HR: Then whereโs the money?
I smiled.
Me: Before I answer that, can I ask you one question?
HR: Go ahead.
Me: Who told you there was money in that bag?
She stopped smiling.
HR: What?
Me: You said $50,000 was missing.
Me: The bag was never searched.
Me: The police werenโt called.
Me: So how did you know what was inside it?
She stared at me.
HR: We know enough.
Me: No.
Me: You think you know enough.
She reached for the phone.
HR: Security is waiting outside.
I slid my phone across the table.
Me: Then you should probably watch this first.
She pressed play.
It was security footage from the same night.
10:38 PM.
The office was empty.
Then our CFO walked in.
He opened the department safe.
Removed several envelopes.
Put them inside a black bag.
Then he walked directly to my desk.
He placed the bag underneath it.
HRโs face changed.
HR: Where did you get this?
Me: Your security system.
HR: Thatโs impossible.
Me: No.
Me: Whatโs impossible is you forgetting there are cameras in the hallway too.
She stood up.
HR: Turn that off.
Me: Why?
HR: Because youโre making a serious accusation.
Me: So are you.
She grabbed her phone.
HR: You need to leave.
Me: Iโm not going anywhere.
The office door opened.
Two detectives walked in.
HR looked at them.
Then at me.
HR: Who called the police?
One of the detectives pointed at me.
Detective: He did.
HR looked confused.
HR: When?
Detective: Yesterday.
She looked at me.
HR: You knew?
Me: I suspected.
HR: Then why did you let me accuse you?
I smiled.
Me: Because I wanted to know who else was involved.
The detective placed a folder on the table.
Inside were bank records.
Three employees.
The CFO.
The HR director.
And one other person.
HR looked at the name.
Then slowly looked at me.
HR: You canโt be serious.
Me: I am.
The third name was hers.
She hadnโt been investigating the missing money.
She was the reason it was missing.