Chapter 15: The Board Room

Dalton's father didn't get up.

"This is a private meeting of the board," he said. "Ms. Penland, you were told to stay out of this building."

"I was told to sign a paper first," I said. "I'm not good at that."

Shane went down the table and set the first binder in front of the board member on the end, an older man with white eyebrows.

"Page forty, third entry," he said. "Read me what it says."

The man opened it and put his glasses on.

"Equipment rental, Ferris crew. Twenty-one fifty. Paid to Ridgeway Residential."

"Who approved it?"

"C.F."

"That's me," Shane said. "I never rented a hammer from an apartment complex."

Nobody at the table moved.

Shane laid down a second binder, and a third.

"Eleven of them. One a month since the Christmas party. Each one is in Dalton's blue pen."

"Those are crew expenses," Dalton said. His voice was thin. "Shane is trying to hide his own overbilling."

"Then you won't mind," Shane said, "if the board calls Ridgeway Residential and asks whose apartment the rent went to."

Melanie's hand slid off her stomach and into her lap.

Dalton looked at her, and she looked at the table.

"This is ridiculous," his father said. "Shane has been terminated, he took these records at night, and the sheriff..."

"May I?"

The voice came from the door.

Stephanie stood there in the same jeans she'd worn since Sunday, with her braid over one shoulder and a manila folder against her chest.

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