The Audit Reveals Its First Secret
Chapter 12 - The Audit Reveals Its First Secret
The independent review uncovered consulting payments made to a Sinclair-affiliated advisory firm during preparation of the transfer. Some work was documented. Other charges had vague descriptions and no deliverables.
Harold Pike maintained that the fees were authorized. Richard Sinclair disputed any suggestion of improper conduct. Their explanations were being tested against contracts, emails, and board records.
Rebecca reminded me that suspicious paperwork didn't automatically establish fraud. The reviewers needed to examine the full sequence and allow the parties to respond.
Then they discovered a draft letter bearing my electronic signature. The text endorsed a fast-track transfer of the building, though I had never approved that language.
My stomach dropped.
A preliminary examination suggested the letter had been assembled using material from a separate document I had legitimately signed. A digital forensics specialist was asked to trace its creation.
I was furious. But anger didn't repair a record. I authorized counsel to preserve the relevant systems, notify the board, and investigate the discrepancy.
That evening, I told Mom what we'd found.
“Your father trusted too easily sometimes,” she said, “but he learned that trust still needs boundaries.”
I looked at Dad's portrait over the fireplace. “I thought I was protecting the family by keeping everybody happy.”
“You were protecting the appearance of harmony,” Mom replied. “That's not the same thing.”
I thought about Vanessa's smile on the stairs before the confrontation, and Emily pretending for months that nothing was wrong.
May you like
“I'm starting to understand.”
Mom squeezed my shoulder. “Understanding is the beginning. What you do next is the part that counts.”
