Chapter 12 - The Cross AccountEvelyn denied stealing anything.
Samuel didn't accept anyone's word anymore.
He traced every transfer.
Lorraine’s claim contained a fragment of truth.
Two million dollars had moved into a Cross Meridian account.
But it wasn't Evelyn's personal account.
It was an escrow fund created for Harbor Ridge land acquisitions.
Peter Lang controlled it.
Celeste discovered that Lang had used Evelyn’s electronic authorization without fully disclosing the transfers.
“Can he do that?” Daniel asked.
“Under certain delegated authority, he could initiate transactions,” Samuel explained. “Whether these particular transfers were authorized is another question.”
Evelyn was furious.
She immediately commissioned an independent investigation.
Within forty-eight hours, Peter Lang was suspended.
Then he disappeared.
His attorney claimed he was traveling.
Nobody believed it.
Rachel warned Daniel not to turn the situation into a private chase.
The evidence needed proper handling.
Meanwhile, Gregory Vale resigned as trustee.
His resignation letter contained one sentence that mattered:
I acted based on representations I now believe were materially false.
Lorraine called him a coward.
Daniel called it the beginning.
Then Vale asked to meet.
He brought his own attorney.
“I didn't forge Daniel's signature,” he said.
“Who did?” Rachel asked.
“Lorraine brought me documents she said Daniel had signed.”
“And you notarized them without witnessing his signature?”
Vale looked down.
“Yes.”
Daniel felt disgust.
“You knew better.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Vale hesitated.
“Lorraine knew about money I had borrowed from a client account years ago and replaced.”
Blackmail.
Another layer.
Vale admitted approving trust transactions because Lorraine threatened to expose him.
That didn't absolve him.
But it explained his compliance.
“Who created the forged signature?” Rachel asked.
“Peter.”
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
Vale continued.
“Lang had software-generated signature overlays built from scanned documents.”
Samuel muttered, “That explains the consistency.”
Vale handed over emails.
One contained Lorraine’s instructions concerning Daniel.
We need separation established before October. Once Maya is gone, Daniel will listen again.
Another read:
Celeste gives us credibility with Evelyn.
And finally:
Nia complicates succession.
Daniel stopped reading.
Those three words stripped away every excuse Lorraine had made.
Nia wasn't merely someone Lorraine disliked.
She was something Lorraine wanted removed from a financial equation.
Daniel returned home late.
Nia was sleeping.
He stood in her doorway.
Maya joined him.
“What happens now?”
“I don't know.”
“That's okay.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I spent years believing keeping peace was the same as protecting you.”
Maya said nothing.
“It wasn't.”
“No.”
“I should've seen what she was doing.”
“You should've listened sooner.”
The truth hurt.
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
Maya took his hand.
Downstairs, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Daniel answered.
Peter Lang’s voice said:
May you like
“Your mother is going to destroy every one of us.”
Then the call ended.
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