She was innocent, just as she’d claimed. Impatience sprouted inside him. He wanted to scramble from the room and find her that instant.
Other things needed to be handled first, though. Like confronting Stina and Pris Malus.
Hawk extended a hand toward Ethan, and the two shook heartily. “Thank you, Ethan. I can’t tell you what a relief this is, to have some answers.”
“Would you like me to call the police, sir?”
“Immediately,” Hawk said, holding out a finger as his phone rang. He’d said he wouldn’t press charges against Ella, but this was different. This woman, Ella’s stepsister, had attempted framing Ella on top of the theft. That needed to be dealt with as swiftly as possible.
He answered, feeling better than he had in days. “Hey, Clary. What’s up?”
“There’s a woman who wants to talk to you. She’s waiting in your office.”
“Not now, Clary,” he said. “We’ve just had a breakthrough.”
“Sir.” Clary’s voice was insistent. “I think you’ll want to hear what she has to say.”
Hawk had always relied on Clary’s intuition. Did she know who this woman was or what she wanted? What if it was Ella? Would Clary have known who she was? Maybe not.
His pulse kicked. He wanted to talk to her more than anyone else.
Hawk thought things over for a moment before turning back to Ethan. “Hold off on calling the police. Clary mentioned an update, and I’d like to see who this woman is before we make any major decisions.”
“All right, sir,” Ethan said, “but we will need to inform them. And I think you should tell the rest of the staff as well so that people feel safe here. Sir, if I may suggest, it might also be time to find a new custodial service. One without such terrible management.”
Hawk was halfway to the door. “Thanks, Ethan. I think you’re right.” He returned to his phone. “Clary, are you still there?”
“I am, sir,” she replied.
“Good. I need you to search out custodial services, please. Find reliable companies with the utmost integrity.” He thought of the innocent members of Malus Custodial Management. They couldn’t all be involved. Perhaps there was a way to identify the blameless employees and offer them a job directly, so they didn’t risk losing theirs. It wasn’t fair for everyone to be punished in all of this.
“You got it.”
“Tell whoever this woman is I’ll be right there.”
He hung up and shook Ethan’s and Matt’s hands a final time before dashing out. The elevator ride passed in a blur, and within minutes he was up at his office on the twelfth floor.
His pulse flurried like a whirlwind. If it was Ella waiting for him, what would he say to her? He had to make this right.
Shame stole through him, of the way he treated her in the breakroom a few days ago, of the things he’d said. How could he have been so harsh? How could he have not believed her? Looking back now, it’d been so obvious. She couldn’t have faked her humiliation, the embarrassed tears, or the plea in her voice begging him to believe her. He should have believed her.
Hawk took a moment to straighten his tie and pull in a slow breath that did nothing to ease his anxiety over the prospect of seeing her again. Still, he had to do this. He opened the door.
A woman with dark hair sat in one of his leather seats in the center of his office. She wore jeans and a lavender shirt, which was visible through the unzipped front of a black coat, and she gripped a small purse in one hand. Worry pinched her pretty face.
He froze in his tracks. For a moment, he thought it was the woman at the ball. Priscilla Malus, the one who’d maliciously shamed Ella. The woman who’d framed her.
But this woman’s features were the slightest bit dissimilar. She had a wider brow and jawline, with fuller lips which were turned down in worry. He realized where he’d seen her before. She’d been in the breakroom when he and Ethan had shown the custodial staff the video feed.
“Mr. Danielson,” she said, standing clumsily and catching her balance.
“Hello, Miss…”
“Malus. My name is Charlotte Malus. Stina Malus is my mother.”
Her admission put him on his guard. What was she doing here? “Hello, Charlotte. What can I do for you?”
Charlotte wrung her purse in front of her. She swallowed twice before speaking. “I came because I couldn’t keep silent any longer. It’s not fair to Ella, and it’s not fair to you.” Her words were rushed and clipped. This was obviously tough for her.
He attempted to put her at ease. “Please, sit down. Can I get you a drink? A water bottle?”
“No, thanks. I just—I need to get this out.”
“Okay.” He moved toward her and gestured for her to sit down again. She did so, and he took the chair opposite her. “It’s all right, Charlotte. I’ll hear whatever you have to tell me.”
He didn’t realize how badly she was trembling until she attempted to sit still. Maybe he should have let her stand after all.
“Whenever you’re ready,” he added.
She bobbed her head. “I overheard my mom and sister, Pris, this morning. Pris has been so angry with Ella for so long. It happened a long time ago, over a guy of all things, but it’s totally over. Except Pris can’t let it go. She can’t just be happy she’s back with Derek; she has to keep targeting Ella. And of course, she’s my mom’s little darling, so Mom goes along with it.”
“I’m sorry,” Hawk said, trying to keep up. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”
“They were talking after the confrontation in the breakroom when you found all that stuff in Ella’s locker. They were laughing about it over coffee this morning, cheering each other on for succeeding.
“Mom couldn’t outright fire Ella, not without upsetting Ella’s dad, who happens to be Mom’s husband. And Pris wanted to get back at
