— There are cameras in the hallways, — Oleg replied. — There are no cameras inside the archive itself, that’s a legal requirement, but I can pull up the recordings for the past week.
— Pull them up, — Pavel ordered. — I want to see who went in and when, and what they carried out.
— This is a violation of my rights! — Svetlana protested. — You can’t spy on me!
— We can, — Vera intervened again. — Video surveillance in common areas is legal. You signed a consent form when you were hired. Moreover, there is a clause stating that in case of suspected violation of the trade secret regime, the employer has the right to conduct an internal investigation using all available means.
Svetlana turned pale. Pavel could see her struggling to maintain her composure, but the tension was mounting.
— Gennady Lvovich, — Pavel turned to the CFO, — have there been any irregularities with financial documents recently? Unauthorized copying?
Gennady Rudnitsky pondered, rubbing his chin.
— Now that you mention it… Yes, there was. The day before yesterday, I discovered that someone had requested a summary of client contracts for the past year from the accounting system. And the request didn’t come from the finance department.
— Where did it come from? — Pavel asked sharply.
— From HR, — Gennady looked at Svetlana. — I thought at the time it was for some internal report. I didn’t think much of it.
— It was for a report! — Svetlana said quickly. — I was preparing an analysis of salaries compared to company turnover. It’s standard practice.
— Show me the report, — Pavel requested.
A silence fell. Svetlana looked at him, and for the first time, a look of confusion appeared in her eyes.
— I… I haven’t finished it yet, — she finally said.
— Where’s the draft? — Pavel pressed. — On your computer? Can we see it?
— No, — she answered too quickly.
— Meaning?
— It’s a work in progress. I’m not obligated to show it before it’s completed.
Kirill Kravtsov, who had been silent until now, leaned forward:
— Svetlana Andreevna, if you have nothing to hide…
— Because it’s humiliating! — she flared up. — I’m being accused without any evidence. I’ve worked here for five years, and you’re interrogating me based on some rumors.
— These aren’t rumors, — Pavel said calmly. — This is information that I consider reliable. And until you provide an explanation, the investigation will continue.
He stood up and paced around the room. Dusk was gathering outside, the city lights coming on one by one. Somewhere out there, in one of those buildings, people from “Status-Tech” were waiting for documents that could give them an advantage. Pavel felt time slipping away.
— Oleg, — he said, — pull up the camera footage. I’m especially interested in the moments when Svetlana Andreevna left the archive. Check if she was carrying any folders, files, or flash drives. Anything that could contain information.
— Got it, — Oleg nodded and reached for his phone.
— Vera, — Pavel continued, — prepare the legal justification for the internal investigation. I need all the documents confirming our right to review an employee’s actions. And pull up Svetlana Andreevna’s employment contract, especially the section on trade secrets.
— Will do, — Vera jotted it down quickly.
— Gennady Lvovich, — Pavel turned to the CFO, — I need a list of all the documents Svetlana Andreevna had access to. Especially those concerning our key clients and strategic contracts.
— Alright, — Gennady nodded. — I’ll get on it right away.
Svetlana abruptly stood up from her chair.
— I don’t have to sit here and listen to this! — she shouted. — You have no right to detain me.
— Sit down, — Pavel said coldly. — This is a work meeting, and it’s not over. We are discussing matters concerning the company’s security in your presence. If you leave now, it will be considered a refusal to provide an explanation and will serve as additional grounds for the internal investigation.
Svetlana slowly sank back into her chair. Her hands were trembling, and she hid them under the table.
— Kirill, — Pavel looked at his deputy, — get in touch with the IT department. Have them check Svetlana Andreevna’s corporate email for the last month. I’m particularly interested in emails sent to external addresses and any large attachments.
— Is that even legal? — Kirill asked.
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