Chapter 2 - The Old Handler
Thomas had served the Harrington family for twenty-seven years.
He began as a hotel night guard.
Later, he built the company’s canine-security program and trained Atlas to locate missing people, detect tampered records and alert without physical intimidation.
When Atlas retired from public demonstrations, Thomas planned to adopt him.
Mason refused.
“The dog belongs to Harrington Security.”
Thomas reminded him that employee deductions had funded the K9 program.
Mason called those deductions service fees.
Then he dismissed Thomas.
The termination report accused him of age-related confusion, mishandling confidential property and forming an unhealthy attachment to Atlas.
Thomas lost his job.
His company apartment.
His health coverage.
And the dog he had raised.
Richard read the report now.
“You approved this?” he asked Mason.
“The department needed modern leadership.”
Thomas looked around the ballroom.
Old money always called replacement modernization when the person being replaced had become inconvenient.
His dismissal came four days after he found irregular transfers from the Harrington Family Relief Fund.
The fund supported retired hotel employees, security officers, widows and workers injured on Harrington property.
Thomas discovered millions had been removed under false emergency invoices.
He took his concerns to Mason.
The next morning, his building access disappeared.
By afternoon, every Harrington property had received instructions not to hire him.
Mason looked at Richard.
“He copied private financial files.”
“I copied evidence from a fund I paid into for twenty-seven years,” Thomas answered.
Victoria folded her arms.
“You had no authority to investigate family accounts.”
Thomas’s expression did not change.
“It was not family money.”
The ballroom fell quiet.
Servers standing along the walls had contributed too.
So had housekeepers, maintenance workers, drivers and retired cooks.
Richard looked toward the locked briefcase.
“How much is missing?”
Thomas answered:
“Ninety-six million dollars.”
Victoria’s jeweled clutch suddenly looked heavier.
Then Atlas moved toward her gown.
He did not touch her.
May you like
He simply sat and stared at the hidden inside pocket.
A corner of Thomas’s original termination file was sticking out.
