This has never happened before, Mike has always been top of his game, bagging employee of the month for six months in a row. Everybody liked him, he was even the boss favorite, how could he do something like this?
He worked into the meeting room, a bunch of men and women starring at him. The whole board was around for this case.
"You do understand how serious this is, you're been accused of embezzling money from the company"
"But I didn't do it, you know I would never do something like this, I'm being payed enough, why would I steal?"
"That's what we'd like to know. How you do explain the money we found in the offshore account, in your name?"
"I don't know anything about that! Someone is trying to frame me".
"We'll get to the bottom of this, but in the meantime, clear your table Michael, you're suspended, and the two gentlemen outside there want to talk to you"
He looked outside the glass partition and saw two police men standing outside, one holding a handcuff. Yes, it was that serious. The men escorted him out the building where he got into a car going to the station.
"C'mon baby, let's go, they can't keep you here until the trial", his wife walked into the interrogation room he was being kept. Those years in law school wasn't a joke. She was his wife and a lawyer, the perfect person to represent him. She knew her man would never do something like this, and that's exactly what he needed, some who knew he wouldn't do it.
"Think, who would want to do this to you, who did you piss of? maybe a jealous colleague or something".
"I can't think of anybody, I haven't done anything to anybody".
"Well you're going to think a lot harder if we're going to get through this. Go and shower baby, a lot of work to be done tomorrow".
He went to the office the next day to pack his remaining stuffs from the office. All his co-workers didn't fail to land some encouraging remarks. Even James, the only person who didn't seem to like him because they were both looking for the same promotion told him everything was going to be okay. He didn't think James would go that length to get him put of the race. He wanted to feel embarrassed, even the people below the position he held saw him packing but he decided to hold his head high, he didn't d what he was being accused of.
DAY 4 OF THE TRAIL
His colleagues attended his trail, company policy, even his boss, Gary was present.
The trail wasn't going well for Mike, with no substantial proof he didn't do it, it was only a matter of time before the court found him guilty. During the ten minutes break, he decided to record a video for his 3 year old daughter, daddy might not be making it to her 4th birthday. The only quiet place was the men's bathroom so he decided to make the video there.
"Hi cupcake, daddy is going away for a while, but daddy is safe. I want you to know I lov.....
Gary interrupted the video. He hopped into one of the toilets to ease himself and came out, washing his hands.
"I'm sorry this is happening to you, you were the best of us. I don't believe something like this would happen to someone like you. If only you could find where the remaining money went"
Remaining money? His wife had tracked money transferred to another account but he lead came out negative. They had left that evidence close to just them until they could track the where the money went to. Rhe prosecution already had him, they weren't going to search for something else. No one should know about that, unless..
"It was you, you did this, the offshore account, the money, it was all you. You had access to all of my information, you did this. But why‽"
"I don't know what you're talking about, why would I do this to you?"
"Don't play dump, how else would you know about the money, what did I ever do to you, what did you stand to gain? You're already ahead of me. It's not like I was going to take your job"
"That exactly what was going to happen, the board was going to put up your name up on the wall. It was only a matter of time before you outshine me. I couldn't let that happen. All this was a bid to get you out, the extra cash was just an added bonus"
"You have to tell them, tell them I didn't do this"
"And have me go to jail instead, not happening. Plead guilty and have a lighter sentence"
Michael's world turned upside down as Gary left the bathroom. He knew who framed him but he couldn't prove it. Just then, he looked at his phone. He didn't stop recording the video for his daughter. Did he get all of it, the whole conversation?
"Would the prosecution like to review this new evidence first?"
"No your honor, the case is pretty much closed"
Just then, the whole court room filled up with the voice of Michael and Gary talking. The video had recorded the whole conversation. Everybody looked at Gary, he had the most shocking and embarrassed look on his face. He would've gotten away with it if only he kept his mouth shut.
Michael smiled, he was doing to make it to his daughter's birthday after all.