Chapter 4
Amara looked from me to her father.
“Mom, what's going on?”
I wanted to protect her.
I wanted to tell her everything was fine and send her downstairs to enjoy the gala.
But she was seventeen.
Old enough to recognize fear.
And too intelligent to accept another comforting lie.
I took her hands.
“Someone may have been stealing money from the foundation.”
Her eyes widened.
“What?”
“We're investigating.”
“Why would Chloe say you did it?”
“Because she wants you to doubt me.”
Amara shook her head immediately.
“I don't.”
I felt tears fill my eyes.
She hugged me.
“I know you, Mom.”
For a moment, I held her tighter than I had since she was little.
Marcus stood beside us.
Then Evelyn spoke.
“We need to consider how this could affect your family's reputation.”
I looked up.
“Our reputation?”
“Yes. If someone used Nia's authorization credentials, they may try to present the transfers as legitimate.”
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Then we'll prove they weren't.”
Evelyn nodded.
“But we need to act before documents disappear.”
I turned toward the door.
“Patricia is still upstairs.”
“Security has been asked to keep her available,” Marcus said.
I shook my head.
“We need her access suspended immediately.”
Evelyn was already typing.
“I'll contact the board chair.”
Amara looked worried.
“Can someone get in trouble for something they didn't do?”
I touched her cheek.
“Sometimes innocent people are accused of terrible things.”
“That's not fair.”
“No, sweetheart.”
I looked at Marcus.
“But the truth matters. And we're going to make sure it comes out.”
The first thing we did was protect the foundation's records.
Evelyn contacted the independent audit committee.
Marcus instructed the technology team to preserve emails, approval logs, and access histories.
The board chair authorized a temporary suspension of Patricia's financial privileges while the allegations were reviewed.
I asked for every scholarship recipient to receive the support they'd already been promised.
No student was going to lose an opportunity because someone had mishandled our money.
Then we returned upstairs.
The gala continued.
Music floated through the rooftop.
Guests laughed beside champagne tables.
A photographer posed couples against the glowing skyline.
It felt unreal.
An hour earlier, I'd been humiliated in front of strangers.
Now I was walking toward a woman who might have been stealing from vulnerable children for years.
Patricia stood near the silent-auction display.
When she saw us, her smile looked forced.
“Marcus. Nia. Everything all right?”
I studied her face.
“Where are the scholarship recipients?”
She blinked.
“They're being brought upstairs.”
“Good.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“Patricia, Evelyn needs to speak with you.”
Her smile faded.
“About what?”
“Foundation records.”
She glanced at Evelyn.
“I'm not sure tonight is appropriate.”
Evelyn remained calm.
“We can speak privately.”
Patricia looked toward the elevator.
I noticed.
So did Marcus.
“Patricia,” he said firmly, “please come with us.”
She hesitated.
Then followed.
We entered a conference room beside the ballroom.
Two members of the independent audit committee were waiting.
Patricia stopped.
“What is this?”
Evelyn closed the door.
“We have questions concerning transfers from the restricted scholarship account.”
Patricia stared at her.
Then laughed.
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“No,” Evelyn replied.
“We're conducting a formal review.”
Patricia folded her arms.
“I've managed this foundation for seven years. You can't seriously believe I've stolen anything.”
I watched her carefully.
Nobody had used the word stolen.
Not yet.
Evelyn continued.
“We're asking you to provide explanations for certain payments.”
Patricia's eyes flickered.
“What payments?”
“Payments to P.C. Strategic Solutions.”
Silence.
Then Patricia smiled.
“That's a legitimate consulting arrangement.”
“With a company you control?” Marcus asked.
She straightened.
“The board approved outside consulting expenses.”
“Not undisclosed payments to your own company,” Evelyn replied.
Patricia's expression changed.
“I want my attorney.”
Evelyn nodded.
“That's your right. We won't question you further without counsel.”
Patricia reached for her purse.
Marcus spoke.
“Your system access has been suspended pending investigation.”
She froze.
“You can't do that.”
“The board authorized it.”
Her face flushed.
“This is outrageous!”
I looked at her.
“Patricia, did you tell Chloe to humiliate me?”
She stared at me.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
I placed Daniel's still image on the table.
Her face went pale.
For one second, she looked almost frightened.
Then she regained control.
“A photograph proves nothing.”
“Then explain the envelope.”
“I was giving her event materials.”
“With my photograph inside?”
She didn't answer.
Marcus leaned forward.
“Why did you want my wife removed from the rooftop?”
Patricia looked toward the door.
Then she spoke through clenched teeth.
“Because she was about to ruin everything.”
The room fell silent.
I felt my pulse quicken.
“Ruin what?”
Patricia looked startled by her own words.
“I mean the gala. She was interfering with the program.”
I shook my head.
“No. That's not what you meant.”
Her voice rose.
“You've never understood how difficult it is to run an organization this size!”
I stared at her.
“Then help me understand.”
She laughed bitterly.
“You show up with your speeches about compassion. You hug scholarship recipients. You smile for photographs. And the rest of us are expected to make everything work!”
“That's your job.”
“You have no idea what my job requires!”
I stepped closer.
“My job is making sure children receive the support we promised them.”
She looked away.
“And I trusted you to help do that.”
For the first time, her expression softened.
Only briefly.
Then she turned toward Evelyn.
“I'm leaving.”
Evelyn nodded toward the door.
“You may leave. Please preserve all records and devices relevant to this investigation.”
Patricia didn't answer.
She hurried out.
Marcus watched her go.
“I've never seen her like that.”
I felt exhausted.
“Neither have I.”
Minutes later, Daniel called.
He had located additional security footage.
Patricia had entered the administrative office shortly before the gala.
She'd used a key card to access the records room.
Then she'd carried a small storage device toward the service elevator.
I looked at Marcus.
“She's trying to take something.”
He immediately contacted security.
But Patricia was already gone.
Her car had left the parking garage.
Evelyn instructed the investigators to preserve all available footage and access logs.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A frightened woman whispered, “Mrs. Bennett?”
“Yes?”
“My name is Jasmine Carter. I work in the foundation's accounting department.”
My heart quickened.
“Jasmine, are you all right?”
“No.”
She sounded close to tears.
“I think Patricia knows I copied the records.”
I stepped away from the others.
“What records?”
“The scholarship transfers. The fake invoices. Everything.”
I gripped the phone.
“Where are you?”
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered something that made my blood run cold.
“I'm hiding in the parking garage.”
A car engine roared in the background.
Jasmine gasped.
May you like
“Oh, God. She's here.”
Then the call disconnected.
