Chapter 13 - Family Business
Thomas Cole arrived at the atelier wearing a raincoat and an expression that said he already knew why Sophia had called.
He was sixty-one, three years younger than Edward, and had served as board treasurer since the company was founded.
“You think I stole from my own family?” he asked.
Sophia did not answer.
She placed copies of the false insurance claims on the conference table.
Thomas barely looked at them.
“I approved what finance sent me.”
“Without checking?”
“That was Grant’s job.”
Edward stood near the window, visibly sick.
Thomas pointed toward him. “Don’t look at me like that. You signed the annual controls statement too.”
The accusation landed.
Sophia saw it clearly then: fraud survives on greed, but it grows through laziness, ego, and the comforting belief that somebody else checked.
“Did my mother ever talk to you about Grant’s father?” Sophia asked.
Thomas looked away.
That was enough.
“What did she tell you?”
“She thought inventory was disappearing.”
“And?”
“She thought Martin was helping cover it.”
Edward turned. “You knew that?”
Thomas snapped, “She had suspicions, not proof.”
Sophia stepped closer. “What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
The word was quiet.
Ugly.
Honest.
Then Thomas added, “I was afraid an investigation would destroy the company.”
Sophia almost laughed.
“So you protected the brand.”
“I protected four hundred jobs.”
“No. You protected the version of the company that made you comfortable.”
Thomas’s face hardened.
His phone buzzed.
He looked at the screen and immediately turned it over.
Sophia noticed.
“So did Edward.”
Thomas said nothing.
Detective Ortiz, listening through Sophia’s open phone line, spoke from the speaker.
“Mr. Cole, don’t touch your phone.”
Thomas froze.
The screen lit again.
May you like
This time Sophia could read the message.
GRANT: THEY STOPPED THE PLANE. I NEED THE CASH ROOM OPEN NOW.
