Chapter 2 - FOLLOW THE MONEY
Daniel did not turn around.
He kept staring at the number.
Almost two million dollars.
Claire.
Marcus walked toward the window.
“Everything okay?”
Daniel folded the statement once.
Slowly.
“Fine.”
“You sure?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Marcus shrugged.
“You’ve got that face.”
“What face?”
“The one Dad used to make before firing someone.”
Daniel finally looked at him.
Marcus was forty-one, six years younger, still carrying the same casual confidence that had gotten him out of trouble since childhood.
Their father used to say Marcus could talk a dog off a meat truck.
Daniel used to laugh.
Now it made him nervous.
“You need something?” Daniel asked.
“Just checking in.”
“On what?”
Marcus took a sip of coffee.
“The North Shore acquisition.”
Daniel watched him carefully.
“Which one?”
A tiny pause.
Barely a second.
But Daniel caught it.
Marcus smiled again.
“The healthcare group.”
“Right.”
“Big week.”
“Apparently.”
Marcus walked to the door.
Before leaving, he stopped.
“Oh, and Daniel?”
“Yeah?”
“If anyone from accounting starts asking stupid questions about treasury transfers, send them to me.”
Daniel’s heartbeat kicked.
“Why?”
“Because I authorized a few investments last week. Eric gets nervous anytime money leaves the checking account.”
Marcus opened the door.
“Some people aren’t built for growth.”
He left.
Daniel waited twenty seconds before calling Alan.
“He knows.”
“You confronted him?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“He brought up the transfers.”
“That means he’s already covering.”
“What about Claire?”
Alan went quiet.
Daniel looked down at the statement.
“Alan.”
“I saw the account.”
“You knew?”
“The investigators flagged it an hour ago.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I wanted confirmation first.”
“She’s my wife.”
“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you until we knew more.”
Daniel’s hands shook.
“What do we know?”
“Come to my office at noon.”
At 12:10, Daniel sat across from two forensic investigators.
Elena Ruiz, a former federal financial crimes analyst.
And Thomas Reed, a forensic accountant who looked like he had not smiled since 1998.
Elena opened a laptop.
“The seven million dollars wasn’t transferred in one move.”
She displayed a chart.
“It was divided among six entities.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“Who owns them?”
“Two are controlled directly by Marcus.”
Daniel felt something inside him sink.
“The others?”
Thomas answered.
“Shell companies.”
“Owned by who?”
“Nominees. But several of them have ties to employees at Sterling Financial.”
Daniel frowned.
“Sterling handles our retirement accounts.”
“And some short-term financing,” Elena said.
Daniel looked at the chart again.
Lines moved from Caldwell Consulting to different companies.
Then back through other accounts.
Then one thick red line ended beside Claire’s name.
Elena tapped it.
“One million nine hundred forty-seven thousand eight hundred dollars came back through three entities and landed here.”
Daniel stared.
“Claire’s account.”
“Yes.”
“She doesn’t manage company investments.”
“We know.”
“She doesn’t even have authority to move corporate funds.”
Thomas slid another page toward him.
“She may not need authority if she was receiving the money.”
Daniel stood.
“No.”
Elena didn’t react.
“We’re not accusing her.”
“You just said she received stolen money.”
“I said money reached an account she controls.”
Daniel stared at her.
“That is not the same thing.”
“Then help us understand the difference.”
Daniel reached for his phone.
Alan stopped him.
“Don’t call her yet.”
Daniel turned sharply.
“Don’t tell me what to do with my wife.”
“I’m telling you not to destroy your own investigation.”
Daniel looked around the room.
Four people.
One table.
Seven million dollars.
His brother.
His wife.
His entire life reduced to arrows on a screen.
Then his phone buzzed.
A text from Claire.
CAN YOU COME HOME EARLY?
Another message followed.
PLEASE DON’T TELL MARCUS I CONTACTED YOU.
Daniel read it twice.
May you like
Then a third message appeared.
I THINK HE KNOWS WHAT I DID.
