Boss called me to his office with human resources. «Mark, after 17 years, we’re eliminating your position…

Heard you left Meridian. Not by choice, I replied. Robert, I need 15 minutes of your time.

It’s important. Silence, then. This is about why Brian and Daniel have been huddled together looking stressed.

Board meeting was tense yesterday. Probably, he chuckled. Always figured you knew where the bodies were buried.

Where can we meet? An hour later, we sat in a park three miles from headquarters. I handed him a sealed envelope containing a printed summary and a flash drive. That’s everything, I said.

Dates, amounts, connections. I’m not looking for my job back. I’m not looking for money.

I just want the right people to know. Robert studied me. Why come to me? Because you actually read audit reports.

I’ve watched you in meetings. You ask questions. He nodded slowly.

There’s an emergency board session tomorrow. Finance committee review. Convenient timing.

Jake, he said, pocketing the envelope. If this checks out, there will be serious consequences. I’m counting on it.

As I walked back to my car, my phone buzzed with a text from Andrea. Someone named Jason Phillips came by the house looking for you. Said it was urgent.

I told him you were out. They were getting desperate. Good.

That afternoon, I received job offers from two competing firms. Both for positions well above my previous role. Both offering substantial signing bonuses.

Word had gotten around about my sudden availability. I ignored them for now. This wasn’t about finding another job.

It was about finishing what they had started. That night, using credentials that should have been revoked, but weren’t. Sloppy IT transition, Jason.

I accessed the company’s email server one last time. And scheduled a message to be delivered to every board member at 8 a.m. tomorrow. Before you approve, cue two bonuses.

Read this. Attached was my full report. Friday morning dawned clear and bright.

I sat on my porch with coffee, watching the neighborhood wake up. No alarm clock. No commute.

Just waiting. At precisely 8 a.m., my scheduled email delivered its payload to the board members. By 8.17, my phone began to ring…