Chapter 14 - The Business Behind the GlassThe independent financial review began with the Ferrari.
It did not end there.
Rebecca Sloan, the outside attorney hired to coordinate Sterling House Motors' internal investigation, had spent fifteen years handling commercial fraud and corporate governance disputes.
She did not believe in dramatic accusations.
She believed in documents.
When she met Vivian and Margaret, she brought a summary of transactions requiring further examination.
There were twenty-three vehicle-related payments made over eighteen months.
Several involved Crestline Automotive Assets.
Others involved two service vendors.
The descriptions varied.
Paint correction.
Specialist diagnostics.
Transport costs.
Storage.
Vehicle preparation.
Most were ordinary categories for a luxury dealership.
But the supporting records were inconsistent.
Some invoices listed vehicles that were not present at the location on the claimed dates.
Others contained work descriptions repeated across multiple payments.
A few were approved shortly below the amount requiring Vivian's direct authorization.
Rebecca placed the findings on the table.
“The identified transactions total approximately $1.8 million.”
Vivian stared.
“One-point-eight million?”
“That is the value of payments and related entries under review, not a final calculation of losses or fraud.”
Vivian nodded slowly.
“Who approved them?”
“Gideon's accounts approved many of the finance entries. Derek's accounts handled several operational confirmations.”
Vivian looked down.
Rebecca continued.
“We're also examining whether Crestline and certain vendors have undisclosed relationships with company personnel.”
Margaret leaned forward.
“What have you found?”
“Public corporate filings identify a manager associated with Gideon's brother-in-law. The same person appears in records involving Crestline.”
Vivian closed her eyes.
A family relationship.
A vendor.
Unexplained payments.
The pieces were beginning to fit together.
But Rebecca remained careful.
“Family relationships aren't automatically improper. What matters is whether they were disclosed, whether the work occurred, and whether company funds were handled appropriately.”
Vivian nodded.
“What happens now?”
“We preserve records, restrict access where justified, engage forensic accountants, and coordinate with lenders and authorities as appropriate.”
Vivian stared out the window.
Sterling House Motors still looked beautiful.
Cars gleamed beneath the lights.
Salespeople greeted customers.
Coffee machines hummed.
Nothing about the building revealed what was happening beneath the surface.
She thought of Samuel Cole.
A mechanic who had asked questions.
A man whose warning had been refused.
And his son, who had walked into the showroom wearing an old coat.
Vivian looked at Rebecca.
“I want the whole thing examined. Even if it costs me the business.”
Rebecca studied her.
“That's a serious commitment.”
Vivian nodded.
“Then take it seriously.”
Meanwhile, Derek sat in his office with Gideon.
The door was closed.
Derek paced.
“She's hired forensic accountants.”
Gideon remained seated.
“I know.”
“What are we going to do?”
“Stop panicking.”
“That's easy for you to say.”
Gideon looked up.
“Derek, you've made this significantly worse.”
Derek stopped.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“You told me the Ferrari paperwork was clean.”
“It was supposed to be sufficient.”
“Then why is Vivian asking questions?”
“Because you broke a customer's payment card and attracted lawyers.”
Derek stared at him.
“He was a nobody.”
Gideon leaned forward.
“No. He was Samuel Cole's son.”
Derek looked away.
“I know.”
“And you humiliated him in front of witnesses.”
Derek folded his arms.
“He showed up pretending to buy the Ferrari.”
“Did he?”
Derek hesitated.
Gideon's voice became colder.
“Why would Samuel Cole's son suddenly appear in our showroom asking about that particular car?”
Derek didn't answer.
Gideon continued.
“Because he knows something.”
Derek sat.
His confidence had begun to collapse.
For years, he'd believed that controlling the sales floor meant controlling the truth.
He decided which customers received attention.
Which employees advanced.
Which complaints reached Vivian.
Now an outside investigation was moving through systems he could not command.
“What about Miranda?” he asked.
Gideon frowned.
“What about her?”
“She remembers Samuel. She's worked with the client files.”
“Then you'd better hope she remembers the right things.”
Derek stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Gideon stood.
“It means you should stop creating new problems.”
He walked toward the door.
Then paused.
“And Derek?”
“Yes?”
“If anyone asks whether I instructed you to break that card, the answer is no.”
Derek felt a chill.
“I didn't say you did.”
“Good.”
Gideon left.
May you like
Derek remained seated.
For the first time, he understood that the people who had helped him rise might be perfectly willing to let him fall alone.
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