Chapter 8 - Daniel’s FatherI did not accuse Daniel in the ballroom.
Instead, we went into a private conference room with Andrew.
Daniel called his father, Thomas Hart.
Speakerphone.
Thomas answered cheerfully.
“Married man!”
Daniel cut him off.
“Did Hart Capital buy Collins Design debt?”
Silence.
Then:
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Last December.”
Eight months ago.
Same month I discovered the first forged transfer.
Daniel asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You don’t work for the fund.”
“You invested in my wife’s company.”
“It was distressed debt purchased through a third-party vehicle.”
Andrew leaned toward the phone.
“Mr. Hart, who introduced the opportunity?”
Another silence.
Then:
“Martin Cole.”
Daniel swore.
I asked, “Did Vanessa know?”
Thomas sounded confused.
“Vanessa signed the information-release package.”
Of course she did.
Martin moved company money out.
Cash flow weakened.
Then he offered the company’s debt cheaply to an outside fund.
Vanessa approved access.
If the company defaulted, Hart Capital gained leverage over assets.
That did not automatically make Thomas part of the fraud.
But it created another layer.
Andrew asked:
“Did Martin disclose related-party payments?”
“No.”
“Did he disclose an active internal audit?”
“No.”
“Did he tell you the company had enough liquid reserves to avoid distress before the transfers?”
Thomas went quiet.
“No.”
Andrew looked at me.
“That matters.”
Daniel asked his father:
“Do not sell, transfer, or enforce anything until counsel reviews it.”
Thomas replied:
“I won’t.”
For the first time that day, Vanessa looked annoyed rather than confident.
She had wanted me to suspect Daniel.
Maybe even cancel the marriage.
Another distraction.
Another split.
Maya entered.
“Martin is asking for counsel.”
Vanessa smiled.
“Smart man.”
Maya looked at her.
“You should consider doing the same.”
Vanessa’s face went still.
“Am I under arrest?”
“Not at this moment.”
“Then I’m leaving.”
Maya stepped aside.
“Legally, you may.”
Vanessa grabbed her purse.
Before leaving, she looked at me.
“You always needed Mom to choose you.”
I answered quietly.
“No. I needed you to stop turning everything into a contest.”
She walked out.
Andrew waited until the door closed.
Then he placed a document in front of me.
“Claire, we found the account opened in your name.”
Authorized user:
CLAIRE COLLINS.
Opening signature:
May you like
Mine.
Except it wasn’t.
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