Chapter 4 - Signatures in His Name
By noon, Michael Bennett had gone from furious father to potential criminal suspect.
Melissa Grant joined him by encrypted video call from Denver.
On screen beside her sat Bennett Alpine Properties’ outside forensic accountant, Thomas Beck.
“There are twelve transfers,” Beck said. “Total value: four million, six hundred eighty thousand dollars.”
Michael stared.
“To whom?”
“Three vendors. Northstar Guest Solutions, Alpine Event Logistics and Meridian Strategic Services.”
“I’ve never heard of Meridian.”
“You approved nine payments to it.”
“No, I didn’t.”
Beck shared his screen.
Michael’s electronic signature appeared beside each authorization.
His employee credential.
His executive certificate.
His security token.
Everything looked legitimate.
Eleanor stood behind him with her arms folded.
Michael said, “Who has access to my authentication?”
“Technically? Only you.”
“Practically?”
Melissa answered.
“Your executive assistant can prepare documents, but you still have to authorize them.”
“My former executive assistant was Diane.”
Silence.
Beck leaned closer to his camera.
“Before you married her?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Four years.”
Michael remembered hundreds of nights when Diane had brought contracts to his house.
Hundreds of times she had handed him a tablet and said, Sign here.
He had trusted her completely.
Melissa said, “Did she ever know your password?”
“No.”
Then he remembered something.
The previous Christmas.
He had broken his right wrist skiing.
For three weeks, Diane had handled his laptop while he dictated.
Michael closed his eyes.
“She may have seen it.”
“That’s not enough for the token.”
“My token lived in my desk.”
“Locked?”
“Yes.”
Eleanor gave him a look.
Michael corrected himself.
“Usually.”
Beck changed screens.
“The suspicious payments began fourteen months ago.”
Michael went still.
Two months before his wedding to Diane.
“Who owns the vendors?”
“Layered LLCs. Registered agents. We’re tracing them.”
“And Eric?”
Beck hesitated.
“Eric approved the vendor onboarding.”
Michael stood.
Of course he had.
Diane’s voice from the hidden video returned.
He still hasn’t signed.
Then get him to Denver before the quarter closes.
Summit Equity had been negotiating to acquire sixty percent of Bennett Alpine Properties for $118 million.
Michael had resisted.
His company was his life’s work.
But revenues had fallen after two bad resort seasons, and Eric had spent six months insisting the sale was the only responsible option.
Diane agreed with Eric at every private dinner.
Michael had mistaken coordinated pressure for sound advice.
His phone buzzed.
A message from Diane.
Michael showed Melissa.
Can we please stop destroying our family and talk privately? Noah is confused. You are angry. I’m frightened. This can still be fixed.
Eleanor gave a humorless laugh.
“She wants you alone.”
Melissa said, “Do not answer.”
Another message arrived.
I know about Anna’s files.
The room went silent.
Michael stared.
Then another.
You have no idea what she was actually doing before she died.
Eleanor whispered, “She’s baiting you.”
Michael typed before Melissa could stop him.
What files?
Three dots appeared.
Then vanished.
No response.
Melissa closed her eyes.
“I told you not to answer.”
“I needed to know.”
“And now she knows you found something.”
Michael swore under his breath.
His mistake was immediate.
Deputy Cole called twenty minutes later.
“Mr. Bennett, where is the flash drive?”
“You have it.”
“I know. I’m asking who else knows it exists.”
Michael looked at the message.
“Diane.”
A pause.
“How?”
“She just texted me.”
Cole’s tone sharpened.
“Do not leave the property without telling us.”
“What happened?”
“We sent a deputy to Diane’s Denver townhouse.”
“And?”
“The place was empty.”
Michael’s pulse rose.
“Her car?”
“Gone.”
Cole continued.
“We also spoke to the technician assigned to image the drive.”
Michael waited.
“The files are encrypted.”
“Can they open them?”
“They’re trying.”
Noah entered the room carrying a stuffed moose.
Michael ended the call.
He crouched.
“How are you feeling?”
Noah shrugged.
“Can I have my red sled?”
“Not today.”
“Why?”
Michael looked toward the yard.
“Because I want to stay inside with you.”
Noah studied him.
Then said quietly, “Diane doesn’t like when you stay.”
Michael’s chest tightened.
“What do you mean?”
“She says you work better when I don’t bother you.”
“Did she say that a lot?”
Noah nodded.
“She says Mommy made you sad and I make you remember.”
Michael had to look away.
Noah continued, “She said if I was good, maybe you would stop being sad.”
Michael pulled his son into his arms.
“I need you to hear something.”
Noah leaned against him.
“You never made me sad because you remind me of Mom.”
Noah said nothing.
“You make me happy because you remind me of her.”
Small arms tightened around his neck.
Then Noah whispered, “She said you’d send me away.”
Michael closed his eyes.
“Never.”
“She had papers.”
“What papers?”
“For the school.”
Michael slowly pulled back.
“What school?”
“The one with locked doors.”
Michael’s skin went cold.
An hour later, Melissa found the answer.
Diane had contacted a private residential behavioral center in Utah.
She had submitted an intake packet for Noah.
Attached was a letter claiming Michael Bennett fully supported a thirty-day psychiatric placement.
May you like
At the bottom of the letter was Michael’s signature.
He had never signed it.
