Victoria felt an unfamiliar sensation: the possibility that Marcus was telling her an uncomfortable truth without first preparing a defense for himself. "Who had access?"
"Adrian's team, my department, and a limited number of administrators. I authorized part of the records migration because he told me we needed to protect privileged work product. I didn't verify everything he was moving."
She looked at him sharply. "You approved it without asking where it went?"
"Yes." He met her gaze for the first time that morning. "And I should have asked."
The admission changed the atmosphere in the room. Marcus had spent years explaining decisions in language designed to make responsibility disappear into procedure. This time he had placed the responsibility on himself without decoration. Victoria told him to contact the independent audit committee and preserve all available records, including access logs, backup archives, and any outstanding legal holds. She instructed him not to confront Adrian, not to warn anyone who might be involved, and not to initiate personal searches of employees' private accounts.
By midmorning, the board chair had called an extraordinary meeting. The shareholder group associated with Northstar had exercised contractual rights to request an examination of governance and internal controls. Daniel's name appeared on the notice as an authorized representative of the controlling investment structure. The language was formal, polite, and impossible to mistake for a request that could be ignored.
Victoria entered the boardroom that afternoon and found every director present. The long table seemed unusually narrow, despite its polished surface and the expensive chairs arranged around it. At the far end sat Benjamin Clarke, the board chair, a soft-spoken former industrial executive whose greatest talent was making warnings sound like invitations. He gestured toward an empty chair beside him.
"We've had a serious request from the Northstar investors," he said. "They've assembled nearly half the company's equity, and several independent shareholders have indicated they may support an expanded audit. This is not a routine investor relations call."
Victoria placed the document in front of her. "You knew Daniel Carter was involved."
Benjamin folded his hands. "Independent counsel knew. Our corporate records reflected the beneficial-ownership arrangements where disclosure was required. I was aware that Northstar had a concentrated decision-making structure, but I was not told Daniel intended to work as an employee until the compliance arrangements were established."
"Why wasn't the chief executive informed?"
"Because we were advised there were conflict-management reasons to separate the employment decision from investor governance, and because the independent directors retained oversight. That decision deserves review now, too." Benjamin leaned forward. "Victoria, the board is not going to pretend its own judgment was perfect. But Daniel's employment arrangement does not explain why you personally dismissed him in public while he was traveling with his child."
She opened her mouth to defend herself and stopped. She had rehearsed an argument about security, urgency, and managerial responsibility. None of it sounded convincing after hearing Benjamin describe Noah as a child instead of a detail in an employee travel schedule. "I was told the risk was immediate," she said. "I should have required proof."