Part 6
A trusted employee made a procedural judgment because another trusted executive had assured her the matter was settled.
One assumption stacked on another.
A system protecting itself through habit.
“I’m sorry,” Evelyn said.
I leaned back.
“For what?”
“For not asking one more question.”
That sentence stayed with me.
Because it described half the failures we were uncovering.
Not grand villainy.
Not secret meetings.
Not everyone plotting together.
People who saw something strange and decided someone else must understand it better.
People who followed instructions.
People who trusted authority.
People who were afraid.
And perhaps, somewhere inside that chain, a few people who realized they could exploit everyone else’s normal obedience.
“Send the second email to Margaret and Priya,” I said.
“I will.”
“Don’t discuss this with anyone else.”
“I understand.”
After we ended the call, Margaret looked at me.
“So Evelyn isn’t our mastermind.”
“We never knew she was.”
“You thought she might be.”
“I did.”
Priya nodded toward the notepad in front of me.
“What did you write?”
I turned it so they could read it.
Find facts before assigning motives.
May you like
Priya smiled faintly.
“Keep that.”
