Chapter 8 - THE MONEY TRAIL
The forensic audit began the next morning.
Adrian hired an outside accounting firm rather than allowing his own staff to handle it.
He wanted no accusations of hidden evidence or special treatment.
By evening, the investigators had found far more than one hundred eighty thousand dollars.
Northbridge Advisory had received two hundred forty-six thousand dollars.
Three additional shell companies had received another four hundred ten thousand.
The total exceeded six hundred fifty thousand dollars.
Adrian stared at the report.
"How did we miss this?"
The lead auditor, Simone Grant, answered calmly.
"The invoices were intentionally kept beneath your automatic review threshold."
"Who approved them?"
Simone turned the laptop toward him.
Most authorizations carried Vanessa's credentials.
Some carried Mason's old credentials.
Others appeared to have been approved by Adrian himself.
Adrian looked closer.
"I never approved these."
"We believe your digital signature was copied."
His stomach tightened.
"By Vanessa?"
"We can't determine that yet."
Simone opened another document.
"But there is something you should see."
A payment of seventy-five thousand dollars had been routed through Northbridge and transferred into a private account.
The account belonged to Vanessa.
Then thirty thousand had moved to Mason Cole.
Adrian leaned back.
"So Mason was still involved."
"Possibly."
Simone clicked another file.
"The rest financed luxury travel, rent, vehicles, and several large credit-card payments."
Adrian thought of Vanessa's stories.
Her successful startup.
Her investors.
Her networking trips to Los Angeles.
Her expensive apartment.
All of it had been paid for by stolen money.
Then Simone opened one final document.
"This transaction is more concerning."
Twenty-five thousand dollars had been sent to an attorney six weeks earlier.
Adrian frowned.
"For what?"
"We requested the invoice."
She handed him a copy.
The description read: FAMILY CUSTODY CONSULTATION AND ASSET PROTECTION.
Adrian's blood ran cold.
"Custody?"
Simone nodded.
"The client listed was Vanessa Hale."
Adrian immediately called Detective Bell.
Within an hour, the detective had obtained additional information.
Vanessa had consulted a family law attorney about what might happen if Clara were considered dangerous to Emma.
She had asked whether Adrian's relatives could petition for temporary custody.
She had asked whether video evidence of parental negligence would help.
She had even asked whether a documented incident of Clara harming Emma could affect Clara's financial rights in a divorce.
Adrian nearly dropped the phone.
"This wasn't just about buying time."
Detective Bell agreed.
"No."
"She was building a story."
"That's what it looks like."
Adrian walked toward the window.
"Why would she care about my divorce?"
"Money."
Adrian understood immediately.
His father's estate plan divided family trust assets according to several conditions.
If Adrian remained married, Clara and Emma would eventually control a significant portion.
If Adrian divorced under allegations involving child endangerment, Vanessa may have believed she could challenge certain provisions.
Her legal interpretation was probably wrong.
Her motive did not have to be logical.
It only had to make sense to her.
Adrian called Thomas.
His father listened silently.
When Adrian finished, Thomas whispered.
"She asked me about the trust."
"When?"
"Two months ago."
"What did she ask?"
Thomas sounded ashamed.
"She wanted to know what happened if you and Clara divorced."
Adrian closed his eyes.
"And you didn't think that was strange?"
"I thought she was being nosy."
Thomas's voice cracked.
"I didn't know."
Adrian looked at Clara's empty chair across the room.
They had all failed to notice different pieces.
May you like
Clara had been the only person asking the right questions.
And Vanessa had nearly destroyed her for it.
