He Bet $10,000 the Black Waitress Couldn’t Speak German — Unaware She Was a Court Interpreter!
Chapter 8
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At home, Lily watched her tape it inside a kitchen cupboard. "Why in there? Nobody else can see it.""So I can see it," Nia smiled. "That's the point."Then her phone rang: Owen. She let it ring.He sent a message:I found someone with the full video.Nia stared at it. A second message appeared:May I bring it to you?She agreed to meet him at the church, with Ruth downstairs.Owen arrived carrying his laptop and no flowers; Nia was grateful for that. He played the recording: a guest had filmed the entire exchange—Victor's terms, Marta's judgment, his complaint that it had only been entertainment. There was no discussion of consulting work.Owen closed the laptop. "I've sent it to Marta.""Good.""And I'm asking the account that posted the short clip to correct it.""Good."He swallowed. "I'm sorry."Nia looked at him. "You had my email in your hand. You saw that the paragraph was different.""I was afraid of making the wrong decision.""So you made the easy one."Owen looked down. "My staff depend on me.""I was your staff."He had no answer. From downstairs came the sound of Ruth moving chairs.Finally, Owen said, "I'll tell everyone I suspended you without properly checking the accusation.""Tell them why."He nodded. As he stood, Nia opened her own laptop. "There's something else." She brought up the disputed translation. "This footer says revision six. My copy was revision four.""Could that be an automatic update?""Maybe. But whoever changed it also left a reference to an attachment." She pointed:Payment Schedule C.Owen frowned. "There wasn't a Schedule C in the packet I signed.""Then you need to find out what it is."He looked at her. "Will you help me?"Nia closed the screen halfway. "I'll explain my work. The rest needs people qualified to investigate it."For once, Owen did not ask her to do more.Celia was alone in Victor's office when Owen requested the missing schedule. Her hand stopped above the keyboard.Victor stood by the window. "What did he say?""He wants the complete file.""Send what he already has.""He asked specifically for Schedule C."Victor turned. "Who told him?"Celia did not answer. He walked to her desk and took the phone lying beside her mouse. "Have you been speaking to Nia?""No.""Look at me." She did. He put the phone down. "Then keep it that way."That evening, Celia waited in the restaurant's back corridor until Ruth came out carrying rubbish."Is Nia here?""You know she isn't.""Can you give her a message?"Ruth looked at her. "You had a room full of people to speak in last week."Celia's eyes filled. "I know."Ruth set the rubbish down. Celia took a folded sheet from her handbag."What message?"