"Here." Christine pointed. "See this one? I checked my appointment book. I had to attend a teleconference with Chicago, but two of the switched orders were sent during the same time. This proves there's no way I sent them."
One of Charlie's brows rose. "Almost. You didn't set the orders to remotely send at a certain time?"
Christine felt her jaw drop. "I can do that?"
Charlie laughed and the tension between them seemed to break a bit. "Yes. But since you asked, it means you didn't. Who else from your office attended the teleconference?"
"Tom, Bill, and Jim." Christine tried to recall. "But since Jim attended too, he couldn't have sent them I guess." She tapped her forehead. "Unless he remote sent, right?"
"Possibly." Charlie pointed to a second transaction. "And this one?"
Christine checked it against her appointment book. "I had rotation for inventory, had to enter needed supplies into the computer database, so there should be a time and date stamp for every item I entered which would prove I couldn't have sent these. Hey, wait. Remote sent would leave a trace too. So all I have to do is ask To—my contact to trace those as well."
"Excellent. You're getting this technical stuff." Charlie nodded. "And this?" They went down the list. Christine could account for being away from her computer in all but one instance. She wrote notes beside each, adding exact details at Charlie's urging.
Once they finished, Charlie dialed his cell. "Peg? Yeah, you're busy and have some things hitting the fan. Did you investigate anyone besides Christine and Jim? Because he didn't do this alone." Charlie glanced at Christine and winked. "Oh hell no, I'm not telling you how to do your job. I have proof, and I'll fax it over. But humor me, what name is on the new account where the corporation funds ended? Don't play games, you have it because I almost had it, and if I could trace it, it would be kid's play for you."
Christine mouthed the word 'what' when Charlie's gaze widened and darted to hers. He shook his head and held up his index finger.
"Interesting, a stupid mistake then. How? I'm going to fax some papers and you can take things from there. I need your private fax number, and you standing at the machine so no one else gets this. Five minutes. Yeah, I'm aware, but trust me, Peggy, and call me back when you get it. I'll take dinner for two as a reward. Ha ha, no, not with you. Faxing now." Charlie gathered up the papers as he disconnected. "I need to use your fax."
"Fill me in." Christine rushed with him to her office.
Charlie slid the print outs with the explanations in the fax machine and dialed a number. "There's a bank account in Christine Howell's name with almost eight hundred thousand dollars in it."
Christine felt the blood leave her face. "But I don't have that kind of money."
"Shh." He hit 'send'. "Where are your hospital discharge papers?"
"Why?" Christine didn't wait for an answer as she retrieved them. He took them, highlighted the dates showing her admittance and discharge, and then faxed them. "What do these prove?"
The twist of Charlie's lips made her shiver. "Several transactions on the 'Christine' account were made the day you were admitted. There's absolutely no way you could have made them."
"Not even remotely?"
Charlie laughed and stroked her cheek. "Bank accounts are different. You have to enter passwords, codes, and specific amounts. The investigators could always say Adam, Anna, me, or someone you trust performed those transactions. But a good IT person can pull the IP address and see where the transactions originated: private, office, whatever."
"Oh my God, it's over. We're cleared." Christine wrapped him in her arm, struggling to be closer with the sling, wanting to be heartbeat to heartbeat.
"We haven't solved it yet, even with the proof. Peg and her team can pull the bank records, interview tellers and anyone who handled the account. But it appears it's almost over." His arms wrapped her, but his body remained taut. "About earlier." His cell rang. He muttered under his breath but answered, angling the phone so Christine could hear too. "Hi Peg."
"Once again, you're right." Peg sounded a bit disgruntled. "Care to tell me how you discovered all this?"
"You can put two and two together. You always have. But I will say you corporate heads should pay more attention to those you consider the little people."
"While this new information all but completes our case and clears both of you, you face charges of termination for non-compliance of direct orders." Peg's voice sounded stiff and unbending.
Christine tried to pull away, but Charlie's arms tightened. Oh my God, she had endangered his job. What have I done?