Chapter 6 - The House That Wasn't There
Pike's voice froze Camille in place. He wore a charcoal suit and held a tablet like a shield.
"Hand over your badge," he said. "Your contract ended ten minutes ago."
I stepped beside her. "She's in the middle of speaking with counsel."
"Nobody asked the maid."
"Her name is Emily," Michael said from the doorway.
"You should be resting," Pike told Michael.
"Instead of questioning your invoices?" Michael asked.
Pike left without answering. Camille held her badge in one hand, furious and frightened. Michael asked Nora to advise her about her employment rights rather than promising a fight he couldn't control.
We met the project's volunteer coordinator, Sophie Grant, at a coffee shop two blocks from Harbor Steps. She showed us photographs of a brick building with bright windows and a courtyard still full of construction dust.
"Six apartments are almost ready," she said. "But the contractor billed us for twelve. The other six are supposed to be across the street, in a building that doesn't exist."
Michael leaned over the table. "I walked that block last month. It's a vacant lot."
"Exactly. Yet the foundation paid for beds, plumbing, and inspections there."
"Who signed the payments?"
"Gordon Pike recommended them. Carlo chaired the finance committee and approved the batch."
Sophie slid an audit request across the table. "I didn't want this to become a scandal. We promised people rooms. But I can't pretend the rooms are there."
Michael stared at the photographs. For months he'd described Harbor Steps as proof he could contribute something useful without being forgiven for every past mistake. Now somebody had used that hope as a bank account.
"What's the contractor called?" I asked.
"Northline Restorations."
That name struck me. On the night of the party, I had seen Northline printed across a courier envelope Vanessa accepted through the service door.
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Before I could explain, Sophie turned her phone toward Michael. The board secretary had sent an agenda for Thursday.
The first item read: EMERGENCY REVIEW OF MICHAEL MORETTI'S FITNESS FOR OFFICE.
