Chapter 2 - THE MONEY UNDER HER PARENTS’ NAME
Mara arrived at the hospital at seven the next morning carrying coffee, a legal pad, and no sympathy Claire had to manage.
She looked at the spreadsheet.
“How much?”
“I haven’t totaled it.”
“Don’t alter anything.”
“I know.”
“You’d be surprised what intelligent people do when they’re frightened.”
Claire looked at her.
“I’m past frightened.”
Mara studied the purple marks around Claire’s throat.
“No, you’re not.”
Claire looked away.
Mara did not apologize for saying it.
That was another reason Claire trusted her.
They contacted Leah Grant, Hale Advisory’s controller.
Leah had worked with Claire for nine years.
She joined by secure video from the office.
When Claire appeared on the screen, Leah stopped talking.
“Oh my God.”
“I’m alive.”
“Did Adrian do that?”
“Yes.”
Leah covered her mouth.
Claire continued before pity could take over the conversation.
“I need you to pull every payment to Bennett Management LLC.”
Leah frowned.
“Your dad’s company?”
“Yes.”
“He still consults for us?”
“He was never supposed to.”
Leah’s face changed.
“I thought you approved him.”
“I didn’t.”
By lunchtime, they had a preliminary total.
$412,600.
Twenty-seven payments.
Some were coded as market research.
Others were coded as client acquisition.
Four were described only as SPECIAL PROJECT.
“Who created the vendor?” Mara asked.
Leah shared her screen.
“Adrian.”
“Who approved payments?”
Leah hesitated.
“Claire’s profile.”
Claire said, “Not me.”
“I believe you.”
“Can we prove it?”
“We have IP logs and device history.”
“Pull them.”
Leah nodded.
“Already started.”
Claire’s phone rang.
MOTHER.
She let it ring.
Thirty seconds later, her father called.
Then Denise texted.
YOUR FATHER IS HAVING CHEST PAIN BECAUSE OF YOU.
Claire stared at the message.
Elena came in to check her blood pressure.
Claire turned the phone facedown.
At 1:15, Mara’s paralegal confirmed the Waxhaw closing was officially suspended.
The buyers had waived financing protection in their purchase contract to make their offer more competitive.
The seller’s lawyer had notified them that failure to close could trigger forfeiture of the $55,000 earnest-money deposit.
Claire felt nothing when Mara told her.
That frightened her more than satisfaction would have.
At two, her parents appeared at the hospital.
Elena stopped them before they reached Claire’s room.
Claire heard her father from the hallway.
“She’s our daughter.”
“She has restricted visitors.”
“We are family.”
“That does not override her instructions.”
Denise raised her voice.
“She called us yesterday begging for help.”
Claire almost laughed.
Mara stepped into the hallway.
“I’m Ms. Bennett-Hale’s attorney. She does not want visitors.”
Martin stared at her.
“This is about the house, isn’t it?”
Mara said, “You should speak to your own lawyer about the house.”
“Claire signed that guarantee.”
“She revoked it before funding.”
Martin’s face reddened.
“You can’t just ruin someone’s life because you had an argument with your husband.”
Claire heard every word.
She pressed the call button.
Elena entered.
“Please tell them to leave.”
“You got it.”
Her parents left after security arrived.
Her mother sent another text from the parking lot.
ADRIAN WAS RIGHT. YOU PUNISH EVERYONE WHEN YOU DON’T GET YOUR WAY.
Claire read it twice.
Then she typed one sentence.
What is Bennett Management being paid for?
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Denise never answered.
Leah called at four.
“I found the login source.”
Claire raised the bed.
“Tell me.”
“Most of the approvals using your credentials came from the office.”
“Adrian’s computer?”
“No.”
Leah sounded confused.
“Conference room desktop.”
“That machine doesn’t have my password.”
“It shouldn’t.”
“What about multifactor?”
“There’s an authorized backup phone on your profile.”
Claire looked at Mara.
“What number?”
Leah read the last four digits.
Claire knew them.
Not Adrian’s.
Her father’s.
Martin Bennett’s phone had been registered as a trusted device on Claire’s corporate banking profile.
Mara said, “When was it added?”
“Twenty-three months ago.”
“Who approved that?”
Leah went quiet.
Then she said, “There’s an authorization form.”
“Whose signature?”
“Claire’s.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“I never signed it.”
Leah whispered, “There’s a witness signature too.”
Mara leaned forward.
“Who witnessed it?”
May you like
Leah swallowed.
“Martin Bennett.”
