Chapter 18 - The Last Theft
The authorization required two approvals.
Alexander's digital signature.
And the trustee's biometric token.
The trustee was Alexander.
Or had been.
Secondary emergency trustee: Vanessa Sterling.
Alexander turned toward her.
Vanessa's face went white.
"I didn't move that money."
"Your token did."
"My father had access to it."
"Your dead father?"
She flinched.
Brooks stepped in. "Where is the token?"
Vanessa looked toward the ballroom.
"In my safe."
It was gone.
Security footage showed someone entering Vanessa's room during the gala.
A man in catering whites.
Maria recognized him.
"That's the bartender from tonight."
Owen zoomed in.
The man removed a latex face appliance near the service stairwell.
Underneath was Caleb Dunn.
The missing mechanic.
Police issued an alert.
Caleb was caught forty minutes later at a private airfield.
He had Vanessa's token, forged Alexander credentials, and a passport under another name.
Under questioning, Caleb admitted Martin ordered the transfer as an exit plan.
She had never asked which family.
Alexander looked at her across the interview table.
"You brought him into my house."
Vanessa's voice cracked. "I thought he loved me."
"He used you."
"So did you."
Alexander blinked.
She laughed through tears. "You didn't love me. You wanted Ethan to have a woman in the house so you could stop feeling guilty about Julia."
The accusation hurt because part of it was true.
Alexander looked down.
Vanessa whispered, "I hurt Ethan. That's on me. But don't turn me into the only monster because it's convenient."
Maria watched through the glass.
Alexander stood.
"I won't."
Then he added, "But I won't excuse you either."
Brooks entered with new paperwork.
"We recovered the money."
Alexander exhaled.
"All of it?"
"Almost."
"What's missing?"
May you like
Brooks looked at Maria.
"Two hundred thousand dollars was transferred yesterday to an account in Maria Alvarez's name."
