Safety concerns reclassified. She held his gaze. Someone has been managing quarterly performance numbers by making maintenance problems disappear. Darius went very still. Not disappear, he said.
Defer until they become emergencies. Yes. And who had authorization to reclassify safety level maintenance issues? Victoria's face was careful. Senior operations management regional directors.
And she stopped and the cso Darius said if he had signoff authority on regional operations, she looked at him. Richard Vale, he said. I don't have proof yet, she said. But yes, the pattern lines up with his restructuring proposal. He's been making the facilities look like they're running leaner than they are.
Better margins, better quarterly performance, better argument for a restructuring that concentrates operational authority in his direction. Darius turned back to the stove. His mind was running fast, methodical, the way it ran when he was inside. A mechanical problem that was more complex than it first appeared. My maintenance logs, he said.
The ones from the Westside facility, the original ones, not the versions in the system. Yes, I keep personal copies, he said it quietly, almost to himself. I have for 3 years because I learned early that submitted logs and stored logs don't always match. Victoria stood up from the table. Darius, I know this isn't about Richard anymore.
If the safety data has been suppressed, workers could be in real danger, he said. Yes, I know. He turned around. They looked at each other across the kitchen. I have logs from 8 months, he said.
I can cross reference with the system versions. It'll take time, but I'll be able to show you exactly where the numbers were changed, on what date and by what authority level. I have an independent auditor I trust. She said, "Elaine Park knows her. She's already been briefed that we might need her.
How soon? I can have her on site within 48 hours if I make the call tonight. Then make the call. Victoria pulled out her phone, then stopped. She looked at him.
You understand what this does? If we confirm what I think we're going to confirm, it goes public. It goes to the board, probably to regulators, possibly to the press. It's not going to be quiet. I know it's going to put your name back in the story.