Chapter 8 - Seven Million Reasons
The forensic accountants moved quickly.
Alpine Strategic Services had existed for eight years.
Its stated business was hospitality consulting.
Its real business appeared to be receiving money from vendors that wanted contracts with Bennett Leisure Group.
Some payments might prove legitimate.
Others looked like kickbacks.
Three maintenance companies paid Alpine after receiving Silverpine contracts.
A furniture supplier sent $380,000.
A construction firm sent $1.1 million over four years.
The company’s tax filings were incomplete.
Victoria’s personal financial records showed something else.
Debt.
A lot of it.
“She made private real-estate investments,” Lena explained. “Luxury developments in Arizona and Nevada. Several collapsed.”
“How much did she lose?”
“Possibly twelve million.”
Michael stared through his office window.
“How did I not know?”
“Because people with money can hide the absence of money longer than most.”
Victoria had borrowed against her Bennett shares.
Then against future distributions.
The Silverpine sale would solve her problem.
The $2.4 million Halcyon-related payment would give her cash.
If she could control Sophie’s twenty-percent trust block, she could deliver the votes.
And if Michael could be removed as trustee—
Ethan’s face flashed through his mind.
Two punches.
Victoria had designed a scene.
Sophie in danger.
A stranger accused.
Michael enraged.
A camera scheduled for replacement.
If the earlier footage had disappeared while Michael’s assault remained preserved by witnesses or phones, Victoria could portray him as unstable.
The calculation sickened him.
But there was another question.
Why risk Sophie?
Michael called Victoria’s attorney and requested a controlled communication about family matters.
Victoria agreed immediately.
Perhaps because she believed she could still manipulate him.
The call was recorded with counsel present.
Michael said, “Why Sophie?”
Victoria answered, “You know my position.”
“I know what the camera shows.”
“I made a terrible mistake.”
“You followed her from the corridor.”
“She took something that belonged to me.”
“The key?”
“Yes.”
“So you dragged her into a pool.”
“I tried to take the toy away.”
“The video shows a net around her.”
“She pulled back.”
“Victoria.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“The truth.”
She laughed softly.
“You’ve never wanted that.”
Michael closed his eyes.
“Rachel found Alpine.”
Silence.
Then Victoria said, “You’ve been listening to ghosts.”
“She recorded you.”
Another silence.
Longer.
“You don’t know what you think you know.”
“I know you were taking undisclosed payments.”
“You know Rachel hated me.”
“No.”
Michael’s voice lowered.
“She was afraid of you.”
Victoria snapped, “She was jealous.”
“Of what?”
“She married into something she could never understand.”
“Rachel helped build this company.”
“Our father built it.”
“And you stole from it.”
Victoria’s lawyer interrupted.
“My client will end this call if—”
Victoria spoke over him.
“You want honesty? Fine. Rachel was going to ruin everything because she needed to feel righteous before she died.”
Michael felt something inside him break cleanly.
For years, he had defended Victoria.
Not anymore.
“You’re done.”
Victoria laughed.
“You can’t remove me from my shares.”
“No.”
“But you can’t make me disappear either.”
“I don’t need to.”
Michael stared at Rachel’s photograph on his desk.
“You did that yourself.”
He ended the call.
That evening, Ethan arrived.
Michael had asked to meet because Halcyon’s risk committee wanted a statement from Bennett Leisure Group concerning the compromised security systems.
Ethan remained cautious.
“You understand I’m not your investigator.”
“I know.”
“I’m also not your friend.”
Michael nodded.
“I know that too.”
Sophie appeared around the doorway.
“Ethan!”
She ran toward him.
Michael’s chest tightened.
Ethan crouched.
“Hey, fisherman.”
“You got a purple eye.”
“Your dad has poor manners.”
Sophie looked sternly at Michael.
“He said sorry.”
“He did.”
“Did you say it’s okay?”
Ethan glanced at Michael.
“I said I understood.”
“That’s not the same.”
“No.”
Sophie considered this.
Then nodded as if she approved his precision.
She handed Ethan a plastic fish.
“The blue one saved Mommy’s secret.”
Ethan looked at Michael.
Michael explained.
Ethan examined the memory card copy.
“Was the file metadata checked?”
“Forensic team is doing it.”
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because Victoria will say it was edited.”
Michael frowned.
“You sound like her lawyer.”
“I sound like someone who authenticates digital evidence for a living.”
That was another lesson Michael hated needing.
Evidence mattered most when it could survive attack.
Ethan opened his own laptop.
“I also have something you should see.”
Halcyon’s internal transaction folder contained a due-diligence schedule.
The proposed closing timeline.
The side consulting payment.
And an internal note from Daniel Cross.
Trustee transition expected before vote. V.B. assures control.
Michael felt cold.
Victoria had promised Halcyon she would control Sophie’s trust before Monday.
Ethan scrolled.
Another note appeared.
M.B. volatility documentation available if challenge arises.
Michael stared.
“Volatility documentation?”
Ethan nodded.
“Someone was collecting evidence against you before the pool.”
Michael thought of every argument.
Every angry email.
Every slammed door after Rachel died.
Every moment Victoria had watched.
His phone vibrated.
Lena.
Her voice was grim.
“Michael, Victoria filed in probate court.”
“For what?”
“To remove you as trustee of Sophie’s trust.”
“On what basis?”
Lena paused.
“Violent misconduct, impaired judgment, undisclosed conflicts with Bennett Leisure Group, and the fact that you assaulted Ethan in front of Sophie.”
Victoria’s pool lie had failed.
May you like
But Michael had supplied her with evidence anyway.
---
