Chapter 4 - Eleven Point Eight Million
Daniel’s post-conviction attorney was Naomi Price.
She had taken the case only three months earlier after Emily’s original appellate lawyer exhausted most conventional arguments.
Naomi did not believe in dramatic declarations.
She believed in admissible records.
When Emily told her about Mateo, Naomi’s first response was:
“Do not call him again.”
“He has evidence.”
“Then we preserve him as a witness instead of frightening him into disappearing.”
“He already wants to disappear.”
“Exactly.”
Naomi listened as Emily explained Harbor Point.
Then she opened Daniel’s trial file.
“The prosecution’s theory was that Daniel stole $11.8 million through four contractors.”
“Correct.”
“Where did the money go after the contractors?”
Emily frowned.
“Offshore accounts.”
“That’s what the jury heard.”
Naomi turned her laptop.
The trial exhibits traced funds from Bennett Harbor to shell vendors.
Then to an account in Delaware.
Then Cayman.
But the final beneficial owner was never conclusively identified.
“Why didn’t Daniel’s trial lawyer attack that?”
“He did. Prosecutors said Daniel controlled the shells through nominees.”
“Based on what?”
“Emails.”
Naomi displayed one.
From Daniel:
Move first installment through approved contractors. Keep Julian out of correspondence.
Emily felt sick.
“I’ve seen that.”
“Daniel says it was altered.”
“Was it?”
“We couldn’t prove it.”
Emily thought of Mateo’s forensic image.
Naomi continued.
“Daniel says the actual message was about Harbor Point due diligence.”
“What wording?”
“‘Move first installment of engineering diligence through approved contractors. Keep Julian out of correspondence until conflicts review.’”
Emily stared.
A few deleted words transformed corporate caution into conspiracy.
“Who produced the email?”
“Thomas Voss.”
Of course.
Naomi said:
“If Mateo’s image includes server-side email versions, we may have something.”
Emily asked:
“What did Daniel mean when he said the eleven-point-eight million was the first installment?”
Naomi opened a file Daniel had created before his arrest.
North Coast Capital’s proposed Harbor Point purchase included a confidential “transaction advisory fee.”
$22 million payable to an unnamed consultant.
Daniel believed the consultant was linked to Julian.
The first $11.8 million diverted from Bennett Harbor could have capitalized North Coast’s acquisition vehicle.
“They used company money to fund their own buyer?” Emily asked.
“That’s Daniel’s theory.”
“Like stealing a house and making the owner pay for the moving truck.”
Naomi nodded.
“Something like that.”
Emily sat back.
“Why didn’t this come out at trial?”
“Because Daniel’s copy of the side agreement vanished when police seized his office.”
“Police lost it?”
“It wasn’t on the inventory.”
“And the private copy Julian mentioned?”
“Daniel stored it on an encrypted drive at home.”
Emily stared.
“I never saw it.”
“He says it disappeared the night before his arrest.”
Emily remembered that night.
Julian had come to dinner.
So had Thomas Voss.
They said they wanted to calm Daniel before the board meeting.
She had gone upstairs early because of her pregnancy.
Daniel argued with Julian in the study.
Later, Thomas helped Julian carry boxes of “board materials” to his car.
Emily’s skin prickled.
“Julian was in our house.”
Naomi looked at her.
“Yes.”
“So was Voss.”
“Yes.”
“Daniel suspected them and still let them in?”
“He was trying to avoid a family war.”
Emily laughed bitterly.
“That worked.”
Her phone rang.
Olivia.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“Julian filed in Surrogate’s Court.”
Emily stood.
“For Sophie’s trust?”
“Yes.”
“He’s asking that you be temporarily suspended as voting trustee.”
“On what grounds?”
Olivia hesitated.
“He claims you’re dissipating personal assets to fund Daniel’s criminal appeals and may use Sophie’s trust the same way.”
“I haven’t touched Sophie’s money.”
“I know.”
“Then this is ridiculous.”
“There’s an affidavit.”
“From whom?”
“Malcolm Price.”
Emily knew him.
A longtime Bennett family adviser.
Her late father’s best friend.
“What does Malcolm say?”
“That you asked whether Sophie’s trust could pay Daniel’s lawyers.”
Emily froze.
She had asked him.
Six months earlier.
Desperate.
She never acted on it.
Olivia continued:
“He says your loyalty to Daniel creates a conflict.”
Emily closed her eyes.
Julian was using a question she regretted as evidence she could not protect her own daughter’s assets.
“When is the hearing?”
“Monday.”
Three days.
Naomi said:
“If Julian gets you suspended, who becomes successor trustee?”
Olivia answered.
“Malcolm.”
Emily looked at both women.
“And Malcolm owns four percent of Bennett Harbor.”
“Yes.”
“If Malcolm controls Sophie’s eighteen…”
“And votes with Julian’s thirty-one…”
Forty-nine percent.
They needed only one passive cousin.
The Harbor Point sale could pass.
Naomi quietly said:
“Daniel wasn’t just removed from the company.”
Emily finished:
“He was removed from the vote.”
Her phone buzzed.
A message from Julian.
I tried to handle this privately. You chose Daniel. Now the court chooses for Sophie.
Emily stared at it.
Then another message arrived from Mateo Ruiz.
May you like
Only six words.
Someone broke into my storage unit.
