Chapter 7 - THE LETTER MY FATHER LEFT BEHIND
For eleven years, I believed my father died of a sudden heart attack.
Now I sat in his old boardroom reading a warning that suggested his death might have involved something more sinister.
Julian stood motionless.
I could hear the soft hum of the projector.
Someone shifted nervously in a chair.
Then Margaret spoke.
"Julian, please sit down."
He didn't move.
"This is absurd."
I looked up.
"What's absurd?"
"Your father wrote that years ago. He was suspicious of everyone near the end."
My chest tightened.
"Don't speak about him that way."
Julian raised both hands.
"I'm trying to be reasonable."
I held up the letter.
"Then explain why he mentioned you."
He swallowed.
"I was helping him review a potential acquisition. We disagreed."
"About what?"
"Business strategy."
Peter Wallace suddenly spoke.
"That's not true."
Julian turned.
"Be quiet, Peter."
The older man stood straighter.
"No. I've been quiet for eleven years."
A heavy silence filled the boardroom.
Peter looked at me.
"Your father discovered a scheme to divert company funds through suppliers controlled by Victor Lang and another investor. Julian was involved."
My throat tightened.
"Why didn't Dad report it?"
"He was preparing to."
Julian slammed his hand against the table.
"These accusations are defamatory!"
Margaret spoke firmly.
"Enough."
She turned toward the directors.
"Given the evidence presented, I propose that the board consider placing Julian Bennett on administrative leave while the independent investigation continues."
Julian looked stunned.
"You can't be serious."
Margaret didn't blink.
"We are."
The directors discussed the motion with counsel present.
Julian tried to interrupt twice.
Each time, Margaret stopped him.
Finally, the required votes were cast.
Julian was placed on administrative leave, effective immediately, pending investigation.
He stood slowly.
Then looked at me.
"You did this."
I held his gaze.
"No, Julian. Your decisions brought us here."
Security personnel waited outside.
Margaret instructed him to surrender his company access credentials and preserve all relevant records.
Julian leaned toward me before leaving.
"You have no idea what you've started."
I looked directly into his eyes.
"Then perhaps you should have told me the truth seven years ago."
He left without another word.
Only after the door closed did I realize my hands were trembling.
Peter remained standing.
I turned toward him.
"Tell me everything."
His eyes filled with regret.
"Your father was collecting evidence before he died. He asked me to safeguard the files."
"Why didn't you come to me?"
"Because I was threatened."
"By Julian?"
Peter hesitated.
"By someone with more power."
Margaret leaned forward.
"Who?"
Peter reached inside his jacket and removed a small storage drive.
"I kept the original records."
My heart pounded.
"What's on it?"
"Financial transactions, emails, and a recording your father made during his last week."
I stared at him.
"A recording?"
Peter nodded.
"Your father confronted the person he believed was directing the fraud."
"Who was it?"
Peter looked toward the portrait behind my chair.
Then whispered something that changed the entire investigation.
"The person financing Julian's scheme wasn't an outside investor."
My chest tightened.
"Then who?"
Peter swallowed.
"Your father's second wife."
I stopped breathing.
May you like
My stepmother.
Victoria Hart.
