Chapter 17 - The Manager's Second Ledger
Marcus Venn had managed Whitmore House for eleven years. He knew every entrance, every security code, every bill that passed through the estate. When Ortiz interviewed him, he claimed he had acted on instructions from Patricia's attorney.
“Then show us those instructions,” Ortiz said.
He couldn't.
Investigators found a second ledger on Marcus's laptop. It recorded payments from the resort development to his personal company, disguised as maintenance costs. His name also appeared on the false childcare transfer request. He had expected Patricia's takeover to give him access to estate contracts worth millions.
Daniel found out during a meeting with the independent trustee. “He watched Sophie grow up,” he said. “He came to her birthday parties.”
Katherine closed the ledger. “People can know a child and still decide money matters more.”
Celia described how Marcus had asked her to create the transfer packet. She said he told her the paperwork was already approved by the court. When she saw the seal was fake, she had continued anyway because he promised a large fee.
Patricia's attorney distanced himself from the forgeries. Investigators were still determining what he knew. No one rushed to announce a complete conspiracy before the evidence could support it.
Daniel took Sophie to a therapist named Dr. Elise Monroe. In the playroom, Sophie built a hill with foam blocks and placed a stroller at the top. She made one doll fall and another catch it.
Dr. Monroe told Daniel, “Don't ask her to retell it at home. Let her play, and give her predictable days.”
“I want to make her forget.”
“You can't erase a frightening memory. You can help her feel safe when she remembers.”
Later, Sophie climbed into Daniel's lap for the first time in days. “Can Emily visit?”
“I can ask,” he said. “She gets to decide.”
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That evening he received notice of a criminal complaint concerning his assault on Emily. He read it, folded it, and called his lawyer.
“I won't contest what I did,” he said. “Tell me what accountability looks like.”
