The morning after the break in, Lawson Holdings looked calm from the outside. The glass tower reflected a pale sky, the lobby floors shone beneath the chandeliers, and employees moved through the building with the careful efficiency expected of a company that had survived another public threat. But beneath the polished surface, tension had settled into every department.
Security officers stood at the elevators. Access cards were checked twice. Senior managers spoke in lowered voices whenever Peter Lawson passed. The attempted theft of the shareholder agreements had not reached the press in full detail, but enough rumors had spread to make everyone uneasy.
Caro noticed the difference the moment she stepped out of the elevator on the executive floor. Two assistants stopped speaking when they saw her. A legal officer who normally greeted her with a smile only nodded before hurrying away. The company was afraid, and fear always made people look for someone to blame.
