Chapter 9 - The Letter
The envelope from storage sat unopened on my kitchen table for two days.
I was afraid of paper now.
Death certificate.
Forged approvals.
Hidden minutes.
Everything terrible seemed to fit inside a folder.
Finally, I opened Claire's letter.
If you are reading this because I gave it to you myself, make fun of me for being dramatic.
If you're reading it because something happened, please read all the way through before getting angry.
The letter explained that she had copied company records because she believed Northstar was only part of a larger scheme.
Marcus approved medical consulting bills.
Vanessa controlled access codes.
But the money ended up supporting losses inside a private investment fund tied to Thomas Carter.
Claire did not believe Thomas designed the scheme.
She believed Marcus used Thomas's failing fund as leverage.
Keep approving Northstar, and the losses stay hidden.
Refuse, and the board learns Thomas put pension-linked money into a terrible private investment without proper approval.
Blackmail wrapped in corporate governance.
Claire wrote:
I think Vanessa found out and decided she could use the same system to move money for herself.
Nobody had one clean conspiracy meeting.
They had overlapping secrets.
Marcus needed the fraud hidden.
Thomas needed his losses hidden.
Vanessa wanted money and influence.
Claire threatened all three.
Then came the line that broke me.
I know you're angry with me. I know I make it hard to love me when I think I'm right. But if I disappear, don't believe I left because I stopped loving you.
I pressed the letter against my mouth.
He sat beside me without speaking.
After a while, he said, "Was Aunt Claire mad at you?"
"Yes."
"Did she still love you?"
"Yes."
He nodded like that made perfect sense.
Children understand what adults complicate.
"Daniel, we found the pension fund connection."
"Thomas?"
"Partly. But there's a fourth name on the authorization chain."
I closed my eyes.
"Who?"
May you like
She said the name slowly.
"Your father."
