A Finger Hovering Over the Keyboard
Sarah kept her hands poised over the black keys of her desk computer, refusing to press enter. Behind her shoulder, Dave leaned forward until his shirt sleeve brushed against the edge of her chair.
His voice carried across the row of open cubicles as he pointed at the monitor. He told her Richard needed the money that day and demanded she stop treating routine emails like forensic evidence.
Sarah did not click the confirmation box. Instead, she leaned back slightly, her eyes staying fixed on the digital timestamp in the header.
She told him the message arrived at 3:47 in the morning. Dave waved his hand toward the ceiling, arguing that European business hours explained the odd timing.
Inconsistencies in the Text
Sarah rolled her chair an inch closer to the screen and tapped the glass where the message text was displayed. She pointed out that the message requested a wire transfer, phrasing Richard had never once used in six years of financial requests.
Dave shifted his weight between his feet, resting both hands on his hips. He countered that people change their vocabulary, but Sarah kept her hands resting firmly on the edge of the desk.
Dave leaned down closer to her ear and told her that Dallas had already released two hundred thousand dollars on the exact same invoice thirty minutes prior. He asked if she truly wanted to be the lone person who killed the transaction.
Sarah adjusted the paper file on her blotter, asking if anyone in Dallas had picked up a phone to confirm the request directly with the executive. Dave shook his head, insisting that speed was the priority.
Locking Down the Network
Dave straightened his back and informed her that as her direct supervisor, he was ordering the release. Sarah placed her right hand on the mouse, her index finger resting against the wheel.
She stated clearly that the message had not come from Richard. Dave pulled his phone from his pocket, dialing an extension to find an alternate employee with approval permissions.
As he spoke into the receiver, Sarah clicked the security tab on her application and locked the receiving account. Dave lowered his phone, his face pulling taut as he realized the system access had been blocked.
He stepped closer, stating she had locked an executive-level account transfer without clearance. Sarah did not raise her voice; she simply lifted her arm and pointed toward the lower corner of the monitor.
The System Alert
The screen displayed a red banner warning that the recipient account belonged to a known fraudulent network originating in Eastern Europe. Below the text, the status box confirmed the transaction had been halted before any currency moved.
Dave stepped back from the desk, his arms dropping limp to his sides. He sat down heavily into an empty swivel chair, staring silently at the floor tiles.
A senior executive walked through the row of dividers, asking why IT had just flagged a compromised transfer. Dave looked up and acknowledged that Sarah had caught the scam after another office sent their funds away.
The executive turned toward Sarah, instructed her to report to his office, and walked down the carpeted aisle. Dave stayed in the low chair, looking toward her desk as Sarah rested her fingers back on the keyboard.
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