The Accountant Elena Trusted
Chapter 07 - The Accountant Elena Trusted
Arthur Pike lived in a narrow brownstone in Brooklyn and had spent years refusing wealthy clients who wanted him to make inconvenient numbers disappear. He served tea in chipped mugs and looked at Salvatore without the slightest sign of intimidation.
“Elena called me because she believed charitable funds were being diverted through an adviser,” Arthur said. “She was frightened, but not confused.”
“What did she send you?”
Arthur produced a dated email and a spreadsheet summary. Elena had noticed repeated payments authorized using credentials associated with a board secretary who had left the foundation the previous year.
“She planned to meet me on the Monday after the accident,” Arthur said. “On Friday she said she had proof that somebody accessed the foundation's vault without authorization.”
Salvatore looked at the timeline. Elena's car had left the estate at 9:40 on Saturday morning. It crashed less than ten miles away.
“Did you tell the investigators then?” he asked.
“I did. They said nothing connected the financial concerns to a traffic collision.”
Arthur had been right to avoid speculation. The crash investigation reported slick roads and a mechanical fault whose cause had remained uncertain. That did not establish sabotage. Claire insisted that any reopening of the case be led by qualified investigators.
Arthur then handed Salvatore a sealed letter. “She told me to deliver this if anything happened and somebody from your household tried to close the inquiry.”
Inside, Elena had written: *Sal, I know how much you trust your people. Please trust evidence more. Julian is not the only one involved. Ask who bought the warehouse on Harbor Street three days before the first foundation transfer.*
Salvatore read the words twice. The Harbor Street warehouse had been purchased by a holding firm administered by a lawyer named Sebastian Kroll. Kroll had become Vanessa's personal counsel after the wedding.
As Salvatore left, Arthur called after him. “Your wife asked me one more thing.”
“What?”
May you like
“If the truth hurt you, would you still want to know it?”
Salvatore looked at the letter. “I owe her an answer. Yes.”
