Chapter 11 - DANIEL'S UNCLE
"Grant Voss," Scott said.
Daniel's uncle.
Lenora's younger brother.
Chief financial officer of Voss Industrial.
For twenty years, Grant had managed the family company's finances while Lenora controlled the voting trust. Owen's birth threatened both of them. Seventeen percent of the voting shares had shifted into a protected account that Grant could no longer move without outside oversight.
Scott claimed Grant had been using related companies to drain money from Voss Industrial for years.
"Owen's trust triggered an audit," Scott said. "They needed it frozen before the auditors reached the transfers."
Daniel stared at the floor.
The family crisis was camouflage for a financial conspiracy.
The next morning, Daniel's attorney requested the trust records.
Grant refused.
By noon, an emergency court order required production.
By two o'clock, Voss Industrial's accounting server went offline.
"Coincidence?" I asked.
Daniel didn't answer.
We drove to the company headquarters with police waiting outside. The building was nearly empty. Someone had triggered a false gas alarm and sent employees home.
In the finance wing, sprinklers had flooded the server room.
Grant stood in the hallway pretending to be shocked.
"Electrical fault," he said.
Daniel looked at the ceiling. "Sprinklers don't activate from electrical faults."
Grant's face tightened.
Forensic technicians began collecting drives.
Then one of them called Daniel over.
Inside a locked cabinet, untouched by the water, were paper ledgers.
The first page listed shell companies.
The second listed payments to Scott.
The third listed payments to Warren Pike.
And the fourth showed monthly transfers to an account labeled L.V. FAMILY CARE.
Total withdrawn in three years: $2.6 million.
Elise looked at Daniel. "Your mother was already stealing from the trust before Owen was born."
Daniel turned another page.
At the bottom was a handwritten note from Grant.
If child remains recognized, audit becomes unavoidable.
May you like
Beside it, Lenora had written two words in blue ink.
Remove obstacle.
