I Found My Housekeeper Eating Cold Rice at 2 A.M.—Then I Learned Someone Was Stealing Half Her Pay

I stood so fast the plate on June's knees rattled.

"Stay here."

She rose anyway. "What's wrong?"

"Someone is inside my payroll system."

"At two in the morning?"

"Apparently."

I called the night security desk. No answer.

That bothered me more than the alert.

The mansion had twelve exterior cameras, motion sensors on every ground-floor window, and two guards rotating the property. Silence from the desk was not normal.

I stepped into the hall.

June followed barefoot, carrying her shoes so they would not click against the floor.

"I told you to stay."

"And if the person deleting records is the same person paying me?"

I looked at her.

Fear had left her face. Anger had replaced it.

We moved toward my study. The door was open.

It had been closed when I went upstairs.

Inside, one desk drawer hung crooked. My backup security key was missing.

The computer screen glowed.

A deletion window showed 118 personnel files selected.

I hit cancel.

ACCESS DENIED.

"Victor," I muttered.

June pointed at the bottom corner. "What's that?"

A remote-session icon blinked beside the clock.

Someone was controlling my computer from another device.

I killed the network connection at the wall.

The cursor stopped.

Then footsteps sounded in the corridor.

June moved behind me.

A man appeared in the doorway.

It was Brent, one of the night guards.

He looked at the disconnected cable, then at me.

"Sir. I heard movement."

"Where were you five minutes ago?"

"Front gate."

"Why didn't you answer the desk phone?"

His eyes shifted.

That was enough.

"Empty your pockets."

"Mr. Blackwell, I don't understand."

"Then this should be easy."

He reached into his jacket slowly.

Keys. Wallet. Phone.

Then a small black USB drive.

June inhaled sharply.

Brent bolted.

I caught his shoulder before he reached the hall. He twisted, swung, and clipped my jaw. June grabbed the study door and slammed it into his path. Brent stumbled. I drove him against the wall and pinned his arm behind him.

"Who sent you?"

"Nobody!"

"You were deleting payroll files from my computer."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

June picked up the USB drive.

A white label had been taped to it.

Two words were written in black marker:

HOUSEHOLD CLEANUP.

Brent stopped struggling.

I leaned closer. "Who gave you that?"

His face drained.

"You don't understand," he whispered. "If Victor finds out I failed, I'm dead."