Chapter 11 - Michael’s Signature
Michael’s signature appeared on three documents.
That was worse than one.
The first authorized Mercer Development to invest four million dollars in Crescent Point two years before his death.
The second guaranteed a construction line.
The third permitted Evelyn, as board chair, to negotiate additional financing up to eight million without returning to the board for approval.
Sarah stared at all three in David’s office.
“They’re real?”
“As far as I can tell.”
“No forgery?”
“The signatures match. We’re having the originals examined.”
Sarah looked away.
Michael had not merely known.
He had participated.
David said, “This does not explain the altered minutes.”
“It explains why Evelyn thinks I’m an idiot.”
“Evelyn thinks most people are idiots.”
“That isn’t comforting.”
Sarah stood at the window.
Below, traffic moved normally.
People crossed at the light.
A delivery truck double-parked.
It offended her that the city did not look different.
Michael had spent the last months of his life furious and frightened.
Sarah had believed the source was their marriage.
Maybe some of it had been.
Not all.
“What happened to Crescent Point?”
David opened a financial summary.
“The project bought twenty-six acres near a planned interstate interchange. Zoning changes were expected to increase value.”
“And?”
“The zoning was delayed. Construction costs rose. A hotel partner withdrew.”
“So they kept feeding it money.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To avoid recognizing the loss.”
Sarah laughed bitterly.
“Wonderful.”
“There’s more.”
“Of course.”
David pointed to Michael’s second authorization.
“This guarantee is capped.”
“At what?”
“Six million.”
“But the current exposure is twelve.”
“Yes.”
“Then who doubled it?”
“Evelyn signed the later facility.”
“Legally?”
“Perhaps. Depending on board authorization.”
“Which was fabricated.”
“Potentially.”
Sarah rubbed her forehead.
Michael was guilty of secrecy.
Maybe bad judgment.
Maybe worse.
But he had drawn a line somewhere.
The question was why.
They found the first answer through Patricia Sloan.
She had served on Mercer’s finance committee and had known Michael since high school.
She agreed to meet Sarah at a coffee shop away from the office.
“Michael loved his mother,” Patricia said. “That was his weakness.”
“Not me?”
Patricia almost smiled.
“You were a different weakness.”
Sarah did not.
Patricia continued.
“He approved Crescent Point because Evelyn told him it would give the company a growth engine outside traditional commercial properties.”
“And Jonathan?”
“He sold everyone on the numbers.”
“Did Michael believe them?”
“At first.”
“When did that change?”
“After he found the vendor payments.”
Sarah leaned forward.
“What vendor payments?”
Patricia lowered her voice.
“Crescent Point paid consultants. Engineers. Marketing firms. Normal project expenses.”
“And?”
“Some vendors had strange ownership.”
“Jonathan?”
“I never proved it.”
“Did Michael?”
“I think so.”
Sarah remembered his note.
Jonathan knows why.
“What did Michael do?”
“He asked for a forensic audit.”
“When?”
“A month before he died.”
“Did it happen?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Evelyn blocked it.”
Sarah sat back.
“She knew.”
“I don’t know what she knew.”
“Stop protecting her.”
“I’m not.”
Patricia stirred her coffee.
“Sarah, Michael wasn’t clean in this. He knew Crescent Point was failing and helped move money around to keep lenders calm.”
“Illegally?”
“I don’t know.”
“That phrase is getting old.”
“It’s still true.”
Sarah looked out the window.
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
Patricia’s answer hurt more than she expected.
“Because he was ashamed.”
Sarah swallowed.
Patricia continued.
“He told me you thought he was becoming like Evelyn.”
Sarah remembered saying it.
During their worst fight.
You don’t even hear yourself anymore. You sound exactly like your mother.
Michael had left the apartment and slept at his office.
“I was angry.”
“He was too.”
“Did he tell you he wanted to take Mia away from me?”
Patricia’s eyes changed.
“No.”
“He considered replacing me as trustee.”
“That isn’t the same thing.”
“It feels close.”
Patricia shook her head.
“Michael was terrified that if the company collapsed, anything tied to Mia’s trust could be dragged into litigation. He kept changing structures because he didn’t know whom to trust.”
“Apparently not me.”
Patricia reached across the table.
“He trusted you with the one thing Evelyn wanted most.”
“What?”
“Mia.”
Sarah looked at her.
Patricia stood.
“I need to go.”
“Wait.”
Sarah remembered Jonathan.
“Michael’s last day. Did he speak to Jonathan?”
Patricia stopped.
“I think so.”
“The hospital records show his symptoms started that morning.”
Patricia’s face grew guarded.
“What are you asking?”
“His phone records show his last outgoing call before he collapsed was Jonathan.”
Patricia looked toward the door.
“Ask Jonathan.”
“I did.”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing.”
Patricia picked up her purse.
“Then I shouldn’t either.”
Sarah blocked her path.
“Patricia.”
“I made Michael a promise.”
“He’s dead.”
“I know.”
“My daughter was locked beneath a swimming pool because of something he left behind.”
That stopped her.
Patricia closed her eyes.
When she opened them, fear replaced reluctance.
“Michael called Jonathan because he found proof that the Crescent Point money wasn’t just covering project losses.”
Sarah waited.
“What was it covering?”
May you like
Patricia’s voice dropped.
“Payments to companies Jonathan secretly controlled.”
