Meridian's Misfire

Meridian Mutual had Vivian's missing policy file.

Elise wanted to call that impossible, but the week had turned impossible into a scheduling term. She went to Meridian with Roslyn, Nadine, and Theo, who was not invited by anyone official and came anyway with a box of printed bank logs.

Her director met them in a glass conference room and looked at Elise like a liability wearing heels.

"Elise, this is not necessary."

"You declared me dead through your feed."

"A third-party data integration misfired."

Roslyn sat. "It was aimed."

Meridian legal produced the policy file after Nadine said the words court order with the tone of a person sharpening them.

The file showed Vivian had filed a pre-death claim review request with Meridian's special investigations unit. She had named Martin, Greer, and HartLine. She had also named one Meridian employee as compromised.

Elise's director looked away.

Elise felt sick. "Who?"

Roslyn turned the page.

Her manager, Paul Danner.

The same man who had handed Elise her personal-effects box with Ruby Bell's file planted on top.

Paul's office was empty when Roslyn went down the hall.

His computer was wiped badly, which meant not fully. Theo took one look and said, "Amateur panic."

Security pulled lobby footage. Paul had left ten minutes after Elise arrived, carrying a briefcase and wearing the expression of a man who had believed rich criminals would protect middle managers.

Elise found one thing in his trash bin: a torn courier receipt for a delivery to Vivian's house on the night she died.

Item description: audio device.

"Paul delivered the crash recorder," Elise said.

Roslyn's phone buzzed. Patrol had stopped Paul at the train station.

He was carrying cash, a burner phone, and a written immunity demand.

Elise looked at Meridian's legal team. "You can call this a misfire in your next meeting."

Her director swallowed.

"Or," Elise said, "you can help us prove who loaded my death claim."