Chapter 60

I paced the office, still contemplating Jack's admonition. Now, every file in this place felt like a loaded pistol, and I couldn't get rid of the constant fear that, if we weren't careful, we might be the ones to shoot ourselves.

The silence was broken by Jack's voice. "Ethan, if we're serious about protecting ourselves, we need to act fast."

He and Ben were seated at the conference table when I turned around, and they both appeared to be as tense as I was. I had demanded that this meeting move quickly.

I wiped a palm across my face and feigned a nod. "Alright, let's lay it out. What are our options?"

Ben wasted no time at all. "We don't have many options. As Jack mentioned, there are dangers involved with moving files elsewhere. The FBI isn't going to just overlook gaps if they're tracking document histories. And if they've already got data on us, any changes could tip them off."

Jack steepled his fingers and leaned forward. "We're past playing it safe, Ben. Keeping the most harmful files out of their hands is now the top concern. We must relocate sensitive data and lessen our digital footprint; there is no other option. As for physical files..."

With determination taking over, I interrupted, "We shred them. Any hard copies that don't pass basic scrutiny need to be destroyed."

Ben gave a headshake. "You're talking about high-risk moves, Ethan. We don't yet know what's on their radar."

I held out a hand. "It's true, but we do know that they're approaching. You've been communicating with Richards, Jack. What exactly are we looking at here?"

Jack had a hard line in his mouth and a chilly stare. "He was fishing, but he's convinced there's something bigger going on. It could be a ruse, but we can't rely on his implication that he has fresh proof."

"So let's get ahead of them." I walked confidently up to my computer and entered my administrator credentials. "First, we'll perform a digital sweep, remove or encrypt anything dubious, and backup everything offsite."

Ben scowled as he leaned forward. "There will be a trail if you decide to delete the server logs completely."

"I understand," I replied. "We can mask the deletion by reassigning log IDs, but it's still risky. Jack, what do you think?"

Jack gave a resigned shrug. "Anything less would be unacceptable given the huge stakes. We cannot risk them discovering something damaging. We either remove it or conceal it so thoroughly that not even the FBI could find it."

Ben let out a harsh sigh. "We're playing with fire. It is impossible to hide every trace without making it appear suspicious. If they discover even a trace of manipulation, Ethan."

I said, not giving any thought to what that may entail, "If it comes to that, we'll handle it. We must have faith that our safety measures will be effective. Ben, help me get a list of all recent communications flagged by security, anything that mentions Monroe Enterprises."

He pondered, but ultimately nodded. "All right. But the FBI will find out if they look closely enough. Just be prepared for that."

Jack bent over. "Let's proceed cautiously. I'll manage any physical files, but we need someone in IT who can discreetly filter what goes through the main server. Someone we can rely on."

We were all startled by a familiar voice coming from the doorway.

"What's happening?" Emily looked from me to Jack and then to Ben as she stood there with her arms folded.

I choked back a curse. She had arrived at the worst possible time, and judging by the expression in her eyes, she had heard more than I had hoped.

I spoke carefully and tried to sound impartial as I said, "Emily. This isn't a great time."

She squinted. "It's never a good time with you, is it, Ethan? You're holding a secret meeting every time I enter." She gave a headshake. "Being in the dark bothers me."

Ben and Jack exchanged nervous looks, but Emily's eyes were on me, waiting for a response.

I took a deep breath, motioning for Jack and Ben to give us a moment. Silently, they got up and walked out, shutting the door behind them. Emily's expression changed to one of irritation the moment we were by ourselves.

She asked, "Are you going to tell me what's really going on, or should I just expect more lies?"

I felt the pressure of the secret I had been keeping. There was no way I could lose her, and I was already on the verge of losing everything.

"Emily..." I started, trying to find the appropriate words. "You're correct. You deserve the truth."

She softened her look a little, and I realized there was no turning back. She will soon learn everything.

I went to the window to collect my thoughts. "Monroe Enterprises isn't as legitimate as we want everyone to think. There have been acts that we have engaged in that, if discovered, would destroy us."

She listened intently, but I could see the pain flitting in her eyes.

Her voice was hardly audible above a whisper as she questioned, "Is this about the FBI?"

"Yes," I replied, looking at her. "They're getting closer. We are also at risk, not just the business. The things we've been involved in they're tied to someone even more dangerous."

Her gaze expanded. "Who?"

I responded, "Victor Alvarez," as the name seemed to loom large over me. "He's been using Monroe Enterprises as a front for illegal arms dealings and more. It's getting out of hand, but I've been working with him to preserve what remains of our family's legacy."

Emily stepped back, clearly scared. "You've been working with with a criminal?"

"It's more complicated than that," I replied, pleading with her to understand. "I didn't want to do this, but I had no choice. If I don't cooperate, Victor has enough power to ruin us."

"So why did you not tell me?" I felt terrible for the hurt I had given her, and her voice broke.

"Because I didn't want you in this mess with me." I extended my hand, but she withdrew, her face showing disappointment and betrayal. "Emily, I've been trying to shield you from this. But now, with the FBI closing in, I don't know how much longer I can keep us safe."

As she took it all in, she looked down and crossed her arms. At last she raised her head, resolve shining in her eyes. "You don't know me, Ethan, if you think I'm going to sit here and watch everything fall apart."

"Emily, you don't understand-"

"No, you don't understand." For the first time, I noticed a fierceness in her that matched mine, and her voice was solid. "I'm with you in this. Together, we will tackle whatever needs to be done."

I couldn't have predicted how hard her remarks would hurt me. In spite of everything, she was prepared to defend us.

"All right," I murmured, feeling a peculiar mixture of comfort and fear. "Then let's start covering our tracks. There's no going back now."