CHAPTER 5: THE DEAD MAN’S ACCOUNT
Clara stared at the photograph.
Her chief financial officer, Daniel Ross, stood outside a private bank in Geneva.
Beside him was Arthur Whitlock, older than Clara remembered but unmistakably alive.
The photograph had been taken eleven days earlier.
Naomi enlarged the image.
“Daniel told us he was attending a regulatory conference in London,” she said.
Clara’s voice was quiet.
“He lied.”
Andrew moved toward the screen.
“My father died in a plane crash.”
“No body was recovered,” Evelyn said.
Patricia’s face had become unreadable.
Andrew turned toward her.
“You knew.”
Patricia looked away.
“You knew he was alive.”
“I knew there were rumors.”
“Do not lie to me!”
His shout echoed through the room.
For the first time all evening, Patricia looked frightened of her son.
She lowered her voice.
“Your father left because the company was collapsing. He moved certain assets offshore so creditors could not reach them.”
“You told us he was dead.”
“It was safer.”
“For whom?”
“For this family.”
Andrew laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“This family?”
Clara looked at the financial transfers.
Arthur had been siphoning money from Whitlock Holdings. But Daniel’s presence meant the fraud extended into Clara’s empire.
She took out her phone and called the security director for Mason Heritage Trust.
“Freeze Daniel Ross’s access to every account, building, server, and private aircraft.”
A pause.
Then Clara added, “Locate him.”
She ended the call.
Patricia folded her arms.
“Perhaps now you understand. Your people are no more loyal than mine.”
“No,” Clara replied. “I understand that betrayal does not become acceptable simply because it is common.”
Andrew looked at the shareholders.
“We should call the police.”
Naomi shook her head.
“Federal investigators are already waiting nearby.”
Patricia spun toward Clara.
“You brought federal agents to your wedding?”
“I brought them to the reception.”
The eastern doors opened.
Three investigators entered, accompanied by uniformed officers.
The lead investigator approached Naomi and accepted copies of the financial records.
Patricia backed away.
“You cannot prove I authorized any illegal transfer.”
“Perhaps not from those records,” Clara said.
She pointed toward the ceiling.
“But this estate records every common area for security.”
Patricia’s eyes flickered toward the cameras.
“The bridal suite is private.”
“Yes,” Clara said. “Which is why there was no audio in the earlier footage.”
A faint smile touched Naomi’s mouth.
“But your planning meeting occurred last night in the vineyard office.”
The screen changed.
Patricia appeared seated across from Daniel Ross.
Their conversation filled the speakers.
Daniel’s recorded voice was calm.
“Once Clara signs the guarantee, Arthur will transfer the final amount.”
“And if she discovers the forgery?” Patricia asked.
“We move forward with the medical petition. Andrew becomes her legal representative.”
“What about my son?”
“He will cooperate.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
Daniel smiled in the recording.
“Then Arthur has a replacement.”
The video ended.
Andrew looked at Patricia.
“A replacement for what?”
She said nothing.
A security officer entered through the side door and whispered to the lead investigator.
The investigator’s expression sharpened.
He turned to Clara.
“We located Daniel Ross’s car near the private airfield.”
“Was he inside?”
“No.”
The investigator handed her a tablet displaying footage from the airfield.
Daniel had boarded a jet twenty minutes earlier.
May you like
He was accompanied by Arthur Whitlock.
And between them walked a young man who looked almost exactly like Andrew.
