Chapter 10 - Monday Morning
Mark walked into Bennett Freight headquarters with two detectives, Alan Pierce, and a lawyer.
I stayed in the car with Dave.
The board was already meeting upstairs.
Vanessa sat at the long conference table in a cream suit as if nothing had happened.
She looked up when he entered.
"You shouldn't be here."
Mark pulled out a chair.
"My name is still on the building."
"Mark, given the allegations involving your family-" board chairman Robert Klein began.
"The allegation is that my sister pushed my daughter into traffic."
Vanessa stood.
"That is not proven."
Mark placed a printed still from the dashcam on the table.
Then he played his father's audio.
Vanessa's face finally cracked.
"Dad was confused."
"The file is six years old," Mark said.
"He was confused before he died."
"Interesting. You used his signature on three bank guarantees after his death."
The room exploded in questions.
Vanessa looked at her attorney.
He whispered something.
She sat.
Mark's lawyer distributed copies of the forensic report.
"The $3.8 million transfer scheduled for today has been frozen," he said. "The board's emergency appointment is also under challenge because the authority document bears a forged signature."
Robert Klein removed his glasses.
"Vanessa, did you create this?"
"No."
Mark leaned forward.
"Then who did?"
Vanessa smiled.
"You still think this is about me."
Mark's expression changed.
"What does that mean?"
Vanessa picked up her phone.
"Ask Mom who guaranteed Alder Ridge."
Mark froze.
She tapped the screen.
A document appeared in everyone's email.
At the bottom was Evelyn Bennett's signature.
Personal guarantor.
$6 million.
Mark looked at his mother's name.
Then at Vanessa.
"You used her too."
Vanessa shook her head.
May you like
"No, Mark."
"She signed willingly."
