Chapter 3 - SOMEONE WAS STILL USING MY NAME
I had not been inside Bennett Industrial’s accounting system since I was eighteen.
Yet three months earlier, $2.4 million had moved through an internal authorization profile bearing my name.
CLAIRE B. — FAMILY EXPENSE ADJUSTMENT.
I showed the record to Dad.
His face went blank.
Ryan sat back down.
Mom whispered:
“Thomas?”
Dad tried to recover.
“It’s an old bookkeeping code.”
Julian answered:
“Then why is it active?”
“It shouldn’t be.”
“But it is.”
Dad looked toward me.
“You don’t understand how legacy accounting systems work.”
I almost smiled.
“I’m a forensic accountant.”
For years, my family’s favorite weapon had been assuming I knew less than they did.
That weapon had finally become embarrassing.
Julian removed the acquisition folder from his jacket and placed it on the table.
“I was prepared to sign a letter of intent tonight.”
Dad stared at the folder.
“You said the diligence process was complete.”
“I said the preliminary review was complete.”
“We provided everything requested.”
“No.”
Julian opened the folder.
“Your company provided what you wanted us to see.”
Ryan stood again.
“Are you accusing us of fraud?”
“I’m asking why $2.4 million left Bennett Industrial through an authorization identity belonging to a woman who has not worked there in seventeen years.”
Nobody answered.
Natalie looked at me.
“Did you know about this before tonight?”
“Yes.”
“And you still came?”
“I came because Dad invited me.”
Mom laughed bitterly.
“No. You came to embarrass us.”
That one almost worked.
Old instincts.
Old shame.
Then I looked down at the hand Julian still held.
“No.”
I met her eyes.
“I came hoping maybe Thanksgiving could be normal.”
For half a second, Mom looked ashamed.
Then Ryan said:
“So this whole engagement is what? Some corporate trick?”
Julian’s expression changed.
“Be careful.”
Ryan ignored him.
“You date the billionaire buying Dad’s company and suddenly you’re some forensic genius?”
I opened my mouth.
Julian beat me to it.
“Claire was working for Mercer Holdings before I met her.”
Ryan’s face shifted.
“She interviewed me during an acquisition review.”
I smiled faintly.
“Our first meeting lasted forty minutes.”
Julian added:
“She told me my team had missed $11 million in hidden contingent liabilities.”
Natalie looked at me.
“Was she right?”
Julian smiled.
“Painfully.”
That was the first time anyone at the table laughed.
Not at me.
With me.
Dad did not.
He was staring at the $2.4 million transfer.
Then I saw his hand shake.
Just slightly.
“You know what it is,” I said.
“No.”
“Dad.”
“No.”
But Mom was staring at him too.
And suddenly she looked frightened.
Not embarrassed.
Frightened.
“Thomas,” she whispered.
“What?”
“Is this connected to Westlake?”
Ryan’s head snapped toward her.
Dad said sharply:
“Margaret.”
Too late.
Julian noticed.
So did I.
“What's Westlake?”
Mom closed her mouth.
Dad said nothing.
Then Natalie whispered:
“I know that name.”
We all turned.
May you like
She looked at Dad.
“Westlake was the account Grandpa warned me never to ask about.”
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