Chapter 6
The lakeside house made the money trail easier to understand and harder to forgive.
Dad had spent years raising funds one donor at a time. He liked telling people exactly how a scholarship changed a student’s semester. Evelyn and Graham had taken money labeled for outreach and put it into property under their own names.
Aisha was careful with her words.
“The deed and transfers show where the money went. We still need the full invoices and their explanation before we know the total amount that can be recovered.”
“I want the students protected while we find out,” I said.
The foundation’s bank agreed to pause payments to Graham’s company during the review. Ms. Ellis and Carl called a special board meeting with independent counsel present.
I attended as the person whose name had been used on the disputed approval. I did not want to control the foundation by force. I wanted its board to see the documents Dad left.
Ms. Ellis read his letter aloud.
Evelyn interrupted.
“Richard was upset about one proposed contract. He later changed his mind.”
“Where is that change in writing?” Carl asked.
Evelyn looked toward her lawyer.
Graham spoke before the lawyer could answer.
“We held workshops. I have pictures.”
“Then provide the dates, schools, instructors, and costs,” Ms. Ellis said.
He promised to do so.
Aisha presented the electronic signature record. Evelyn claimed someone in her office must have made an administrative mistake. She could not explain why my name had been entered or why the new account used an unfamiliar phone number.
The board voted to appoint an independent reviewer and remove Evelyn from access to foundation funds while the review continued.
Evelyn stood so suddenly her chair scraped the floor.
“You’re handing Richard’s work to a son who didn’t care enough to show up until now.”
I felt the accusation land. I had missed Dad’s email. I had stayed away from the foundation while grieving him.
Leah rose beside me.
“Marcus came as soon as he learned what happened,” she said. “Dad wanted both of us involved.”
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.
“Your brother can speak for himself.”
“I can,” I said. “I wish I had seen the problem earlier. I’m here now, and I’m not leaving the students with unanswered questions.”
Outside, Leah squeezed my arm.
“Don’t let her use your regret against you.”
“I’m trying.”
A week later, Graham provided workshop records. Two schools confirmed he had sent instructors for single-day programs. A third had never heard of his company.
The legitimate work cost a fraction of what he had billed. The accountant traced more payments to the lake house and to personal travel.
Andre, the senior manager from the flight, called during this period. The charter company had completed its review. The travel coordinator who added the false arrival note worked under Evelyn’s direction. Andre wanted me to know they had changed their process for altering passenger instructions.
I thanked him.
“Tasha also asked me to tell you she has been retrained on verifying seat assignments,” he said. “She apologized in her report.”
“I appreciate her acknowledging it.”
I had filed my own complaint about the cabin. The company’s written response admitted I had presented a valid pass and should not have been asked to move. I kept the letter. I wanted the next passenger to be treated better before a manager had to intervene.
Leah and I began meeting every Sunday to go through Dad’s records. The twins joined us sometimes and colored on the floor while we worked.
One afternoon, Leah found an old photograph of Dad at a scholarship ceremony. A young woman stood beside him holding a letter.
“That’s Mariah,” I said. “She studied engineering.”
“She wrote him every semester.”
We found the letters in the same box. In one, Mariah thanked him for helping her stay enrolled after her mother lost her job.
I called her using the contact information on her alumni page. I told her who I was and why I hoped to speak with her.
“Your father believed I could finish,” she said. “Is the scholarship program all right?”
“We’re working to make sure it will be.”
“I’d like to help.”
She was now an engineer with experience mentoring students. She offered to review the proposed programs and tell us what support students actually needed.
For the first time since the flight, I felt something besides anger when I thought about the foundation.
That evening, Aisha called.
The independent reviewer had found that Evelyn signed an instruction moving funds to Graham’s property company after receiving Dad’s written objection.
“She knew he opposed it,” I said.
“The date supports that. The board will see the original tomorrow.”
May you like
I sat with the phone in my hand after we hung up.
Dad had tried to stop them while he was ill. Tomorrow, at least, his words would be heard.
