Chapter 5 - Northline
"I signed two forms," she said. "Grant said they were vendor credentials."
Vanessa stared at her father.
"You used Celeste's name?"
"Don't be stupid," Grant said.
Priya slid another page across the table.
Northline had received eleven payments from Lakeshore-affiliated events in eighteen months.
Total: $412,600.
Most had been labeled crowd control, logistics, or special donor accommodations.
"We paid real vendors for those services," I said.
Priya nodded. "Which means Northline appears to have been paid for work someone else already did."
Grant's attorney objected immediately.
Detective Brooks told him to save it.
Daniel asked Celeste if Grant had ever given her money.
"No."
"Paid trips? Rent? Cards?"
Vanessa spoke quietly.
"The apartment."
"Vanessa—"
"Dad arranged your apartment last year. You said it was a lease through one of his companies."
Grant's face hardened.
"Enough."
Vanessa finally looked at me.
"What happens now?"
"Now we find out whose money paid for it."
Daniel left with Priya to pull the vendor ledger.
I went downstairs to change.
Rachel brought me a spare blouse from catering.
"You knew who I was?" I asked.
"Not until Mr. Cross came in."
"Would you have treated me differently?"
She looked offended.
"No."
I smiled for the first time all night.
Then she said, "But someone else knew."
"Who?"
"Dr. Lang."
She told me that Peter Lang had watched me during setup.
"He asked Howard who hired you," Rachel said. "Twice."
I pulled on the dry blouse.
"Did Howard answer?"
"He said the staffing agency."
"Good."
Rachel hesitated.
"Then Dr. Lang made a phone call."
"Did you hear it?"
"Only one sentence."
I waited.
Rachel's voice dropped.
"He said, 'She's here in uniform. We need to move the files tonight.'"
My skin went cold.
Before I could respond, Daniel called.
"Amelia, don't go back upstairs."
"Why?"
"The donor office safe is open."
May you like
"And?"
"The audit binders are gone."
