Chapter 9 - Thirty-One Million
The theft was not eight million.
It was more than thirty-one.
Emily had uncovered only the foundation side.
Edmund had discovered a second scheme involving inflated equipment leases, consulting retainers, and intellectual-property licensing.
Rebecca hired forensic accountant Jonah Price.
Jonah was blunt, obsessive, and apparently incapable of small talk.
After reviewing the records, he said, “Someone built a shadow version of your company.”
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“They siphoned money through related vendors, then used some of that money to acquire minority interests in suppliers Whitmore depends on.”
“For what purpose?”
“Control.”
Jonah turned his screen.
North Lake Procurement had been one node.
Others included Blue Cedar Logistics, Morrow Industrial Advisory, and Fenton Licensing.
All ultimately connected through layered entities.
Daniel asked, “To Hawthorne?”
“Not directly.”
“To Victor?”
“Possibly.”
“Claire?”
Jonah pointed at a transfer.
A company called CWM Strategic Partners received $2.2 million.
Claire Whitmore’s initials.
Daniel felt sick.
“Can you prove it belongs to her?”
“Not yet.”
Rebecca said, “We need bank records. That means litigation or law enforcement.”
Daniel leaned back.
“If Claire received millions, she wasn’t a victim.”
Rebecca looked at Edmund’s memorandum.
“He wasn’t sure.”
Jonah opened another file.
“Here’s something strange.”
CWM Strategic Partners had paid $400,000 to a residential mortgage lender.
Daniel recognized the address attached.
Claire’s house.
“What is strange about paying off her mortgage?”
“She didn’t.”
Jonah highlighted the date.
“The money left CWM, passed through two entities, then returned to North Lake.”
Daniel frowned.
“So the mortgage payment?”
“Was reversed.”
“Why?”
Jonah shook his head.
“It looks like someone wanted a record showing Claire received a financial benefit without her actually keeping it.”
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed.
“To implicate her.”
Daniel stared.
“Victor?”
“Maybe.”
The phone rang.
It was Rosa.
Daniel answered immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing with Mia.”
He exhaled.
“Then?”
“Miss Claire is outside.”
“Don’t let her in.”
“She says she only wants five minutes.”
“No.”
Rosa hesitated.
“She has a bruise on her face.”
Daniel went still.
Twenty minutes later, he opened the side door himself.
Claire stood under the awning.
A dark purple mark spread along her jaw.
Daniel’s anger did not vanish.
But it changed.
“Who did that?”
Claire gave a humorless laugh.
“Now you care?”
“Who?”
She looked behind her.
“Can I come in?”
“No.”
“Daniel.”
“You endangered Mia.”
“I know what you think.”
“I know what happened.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“I didn’t push her.”
“I never said you did.”
She stared at him.
“You think I planned it.”
“Yes.”
Her expression crumpled for one second.
Then hardened.
“Victor told me the pool incident would only create documentation.”
Daniel felt his blood run cold.
“What?”
“He said Mia wouldn’t actually go near the water.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Explain.”
Claire looked ashamed.
“He wanted a record showing you failed to supervise her. He told me to ask her to retrieve something outside, take a photo, then bring her back.”
“The ball.”
“Yes.”
“You watched her fall.”
“I froze.”
“You smiled.”
Claire covered her mouth.
Daniel said, “I saw you.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
Tears appeared.
“Because for one second I thought the plan had worked.”
Daniel stared at her in disgust.
“Then she fell.”
“And you walked away.”
“I panicked. I thought if I ran toward her, the cameras would show I had sent her outside.”
“You left a three-year-old in the water to protect yourself.”
Claire began crying harder.
“I know.”
Daniel looked at the bruise.
“Who hit you?”
“Victor.”
Rebecca stepped into the doorway behind Daniel.
Claire saw her.
“He knows Elaine talked.”
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed.
“How?”
“I told him.”
Daniel’s fury returned.
“You did what?”
“I didn’t know what Elaine told you. I was trying to find out what he knew.”
“You’re still working with him.”
“No.”
Claire reached into her coat.
Daniel tensed.
She pulled out a phone.
“Victor thinks I am.”
She handed it over.
On the screen was an audio recording.
Victor’s voice:
If Daniel gets Schedule C, Hawthorne walks. If Hawthorne walks, everything we did becomes visible.
Then Claire’s voice:
What do you want me to do?
Victor replied:
What you were supposed to do Saturday. Finish the problem.
Daniel stared at his sister.
Claire whispered, “I came because I finally understood something.”
“What?”
May you like
She looked toward the upstairs rooms where Mia slept.
“Victor didn’t care whether your daughter survived.”
