Silence filled the room once more, everyone's eyes turned to Penn and Freddy, their once supportive looks now turned into suspicious ones.
Still trying to save face Penn protested, "So we made accounts in our wives' names, that still doesn't prove anything. "
"That's right!" Freddy said voice trembling, "all it seems like to me is that you're grasping at straws. Trying to drag our names through the mud to gain recognition from your grandfather Miss Hart?"
"That was a very odd thing for you to say Mr. Frederick." Gerald said and all eyes turned to him again, "Why would my granddaughter need to gain recognition from me?"
"Sir." Penn said, "Excuse his wordings, he is only trying to understand why Miss Hart would go through all these lengths to accuse of something so terrible."
"That's simple." Michelle said head held high, "Because this is my family's company and I hope to someday take care of it by my grandfather's side. However in order for that to happen I need to remove all the weeds that have taken root in it."
"How dare you call us weeds!" Freddy exclaimed.
"Funny, just a moment ago you were adamant that you were being falsely accused. How come you're now a weed?"
They remained silent at that.
"The ttransaction records for the accounts have also been found. It goes as far back as to the first sum of money that was deposited into them, the dates also coincides with the periods the files were being deleted, the most distance being just three days."
"This is all insane. Mr. Penn and Mr. Frederick have been devoted members of Hart Industries for years. Why would they suddenly decide to steal from the company?" One of the members in the room asked, he sat next to Parker and was stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"That's hardly a difficult question sir. Greed. That's why. Humans always find themselves being discontent with their lot. I imagine Mr. Penn and Mr. Frederick thought they deserved better and that they could get away with it. But that was not the case."
"How exactly did you get wind of this and start to suspect them?"
Smiling she looked at Freddy and said, "You can thank Mr. Freddy for that. He gave me the task of finding reasons why the designs should not be approved this year. In doing so he seales his fate because my search led me to the files, accounts and records. Everything that I've laid before you all."
The board member then turned to the two accused men, "Do you have anything else to say? Perhaps something that could redeem you?"
The two men were quiet staring at each other in dismay when suddenly Freddy exclaimed pointing at Penn, "It was his idea! It was all him! I told him that we shouldn't do it but he made me and after the first time he blackmailed me into continuing it with him." He cried desperately.
"You- you bustard! You think you can just bury me in this grave alone?" Penn asked outraged.
"Why did you spend the money then?" Michelle asked Freddy.
"What?"
"If you wanted nothing to do with what was going on, why did you spend the money?"
"I didn't- no I didn't!"
"Mr. Frederick, I know the general manager position pays well but not so much so that you can go on vacation to a new country once a month for six months."
She watched as realization dawned on him.
"That's right, we also found what you were using the money to do. There is no excuse or lie that you can come up with that will redeem you." Then she turned back to the room, "I'd like to thank everyone here for taking the time to join us today. This marks the end of my presentatio." Then she gave a small bow.
"Security!" Hank called out and two buff men in suits walked in, "Escort these men away and call the police." He looked at Penn and Freddy as they were being dragged away, "I'm going to make sure you're put away for a long time." Then he left with the security men as they dragged the guilty party out of the room.
The rest of the room got up to leave one by one. Peter and Parker looked back at the presentation once both giving a silent sigh of relief that they weren't implicated. Soon all that were left in the room where Michelle and Gerald.
"That was an amusing presentation. Now I see why you wanted me here."
Gerald's presence in the room helped to control the mood because she was sure that if he had not come, she wouldn't have been able to complete her presentation because they would have shot her down the moment she started throwing out accusations.
"Did you enjoy yourself grandfather?" she asked a wide smile on her face.
"Yes. I do wish you had come to me for help. I'd have had Hank handle everything."
"Does that man ever get a break?" she asked amused.
"Once in a while." He responded.
"Thank you sir, but I needed to handle this. To show you that I could handle things very well, that you don't have to worry about me."
"That was very brave of you but I'm your grandfather, I will always worry. I also didn't want you to take care of things on your own."
"I wasn't alone," She responded immediately, "I had helped from two of the smartest people I've ever met- Caleb and Meghan."
"Well, you'll have to introduce them to me one day so I can meet them. These new friends that you've made."
"Soon grandpa." She responded an eager smile on her face. "Also the police are probably going to ask for this." She said as she handed him the flash drive that contained all she had gathered on Penn and Freddy.
Patting her head, he left the room to join Hank in handling the men and giving a statement to the police.
"That was awesome." Meg called out to Michelle as she walked out of the conference room, "Watching Freddy get dragged away was extremely satisfying." She said grinning widely and rushed towards Michelle enveloping her in a hug.
"Yes it was. They tried to deny it of course, as guilty people always do but the evidence was right in front of them and they could only hold out for so long."
Grabbing her arm, they started to walk towards their cubicle where they sat and Meg insisted Michelle tell her everything that happened. Obliging her, Michelle recounted all that had transpired in the conference room with Meg letting out dramatic gasps and 'oohs' where needed. It was just as she was rounding up that Valeb joined them.
"You've told the story already? No way, tell me too."
"Let Meg tell you, I have no energy to repeat all that I said."
Caleb turned to Meg expectantly and she did not disappoint him. In fact she gave him a more exaggerated version of what Michelle told her, her exaggerated tale made Michelle and Caleb laugh at how silly it was. After she was done, they all shared a silent moment.
"So what next?" Meg asked as she and Caleb turned their focus to Michelle.
"Next we go after Peter and Parker."
"Well that should be fun." Caleb said grinning.
"Would it though? After today, they would already suspect that we are on to them." Meg said doubtfully.
"That's why I said it would be fun." Caleb responded.
"They won't." Michelle responded.
"Oh? How are you so sure?" Meg asked.
"Because I didn't catch them this first time."
"Ok I'm confused." Caleb said
"Yeah, Elle what do you mean?"
"They are going to underestimate us. We caught their relatives and not them, so they will think they were much smarter at covering their tracks than Penn and Freddy. So they will underestimate us."
"That is true." Meg responded in agreement.
"Yes that would be true, except you forget that we didn't actually find anything on them, all we did was suspect that they might have made some withdrawals."
"Yeah, and we will start from there."
"Start from there how?"
"I'll have my grandfather let you work closely with the police Caleb. They'd have access to camera footage of the bank or whatever atm, I'm sure you'll find out which, that was used to make the withdrawals."
"Ok? And then what?" Caleb asked still confused.
"Don't you get it Caleb," Meg asked, "With the footage you can check if either Peter or Parker made any withdrawals."
"Oh. OH!" He exclaimed realizing, "How come I didn't think of that?"
"That's why we're a team, we work together."
Michelle looked at them a soft smile on her face, "Thank you both for choosing to stay by my side."
"You're not getting rid of us that easily." Meg responded to which Caleb nodded in agreement.
It was back in the dark room and the hooded figure was watching the three people seated at the cubicle as they conversed.
"She is definitely a force to be reckoned with." He said to the man behind him.
"Yes, however it was only last year that she wasn't much of a force. I wonder what made her change so much."
"She did such a good job handling those other guys; I couldn't help them even if I wanted to."
"Leave them, they were dumb enough to leave tracks and now they'll have to face the consequences."
"You got it boss." The hooded man replied chuckling lightly. "What about the other two?"
"The other two?"
"Yeah, the younger versions of the fools that got arrested."
"Hmm. Give the lady a small clue that would put her and her new team on their tracks. I want to see how these men handle pressure."
"And if they crack?"
"Well, then it's up to us to make sure they break beyond repair. Also, observe those two that got arrested. If it even looks like they'll mention us, handle it."
"Alright."
The man left the room, leaving the hooded man alone as he continued to watch the figures through the screen.
The next day there was a public announcement in the company informing the workers of Penn and Freddy's arrests and their charges, Michelle, Meg and Caleb received public accolades. Meg was promoted to replace Freddy's position so she was the new general manager- something the financial department were truly grateful about.
Caleb was assigned a higher position as well and Michelle left the financial department and started to work directly by her grandfather's side. It seemed things were finally looking up for all of them, but weeks later troublesome news would reach them.
Michelle had decided to spend lunch break with Caleb and Meghan. Seated in the break room, the TV was on low volume behind Michelle, all of them were laughing about something when Caleb suddenly stopped laughing staring behind her.
"Caleb? What's wrong?" Michelle asked worriedly.
He pointed at the TV, grabbed the remote and turned up the volume; they all turned to stare at it.
"...This just in. Former employees of Hart Industries found dead in their jail cells. A Mr. T.J. Frederick and Mr. Callaghan Penn were found hanging in their jail cells. Authorities are still not sure if this was a suicide or a murder. The two men were only just recently arrested embezzling company funds. Their suspicious deaths now raises the question- what really happened to these men murder or suicide. We shall keep you updated. Moving on…"
"They're dead?" Meg asked defeated. "That's insane, they can't just be dead."
"What on earth could have happened?" Caleb asked shocked. "How could they just die? And suicide no less."
"What you're saying someone killed them?"
"The police said they were ready to make a deal."
"Michelle, are you ok? You're not saying anything." Meg asked worriedly.