Chapter 8 - The Name Behind the Money
Madison confessed everything.
Her brother Adrian had worked for the bank's internal investigations department.
He had discovered the shadow accounts.
Then he disappeared.
“My father knew,” she said.
I looked at her.
“Your father?”
She nodded.
“He helped build them.”
Daniel went still.
“Charles Cole.”
Madison looked down.
“He was your grandfather's financial adviser.”
I remembered the name.
Charles Cole had attended my grandfather's funeral.
He had stood beside me.
He had told me how sorry he was.
He had even hugged me.
I felt sick.
“How much did he steal?”
Madison shook her head.
“He didn't steal.”
“What?”
“He moved money because someone ordered him to.”
“Who?”
She looked at my mother.
My mother closed her eyes.
“I know who.”
Everyone waited.
Then she said one name.
“Elias Vale.”
I stared at her.
“My grandfather?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Your grandfather was trying to stop him.”
“Then who?”
My mother took the photograph from the table.
She pointed to the fourth person.
The woman beside my grandfather.
“Her.”
I stared at the face.
I finally remembered.
She had appeared at my grandfather's funeral.
She had kissed my forehead.
She had introduced herself as an old family friend.
“What was her name?”
My mother whispered:
“Victoria Hale.”
Daniel's expression changed.
Victor Hale.
I thought of the board member.
Grant's rival.
The man who had welcomed me back into the bank.
The man who had access to everything.
I called him.
He answered immediately.
“Eleanor.”
“Where are you?”
“At the bank.”
“Don't leave.”
There was a pause.
Then he said:
“Why?”
“Because I know about Victoria.”
Silence.
Then the line went dead.
Daniel grabbed his coat.
“We have to go.”
We returned to the bank.
Victor wasn't there.
Security footage showed him leaving through a private entrance.
I watched the screen.
“Where did he go?”
The security chief shook his head.
“We don't know.”
Then another screen changed.
A camera from the underground garage.
Victor stood beside a black SUV.
He wasn't alone.
A woman stepped out.
Victoria Hale.
My mother whispered:
“That's her.”
I stared at the screen.
Victoria turned toward the camera.
And smiled.
Then the footage went black.
Daniel cursed.
Grant looked at me.
“We need to leave.”
“No.”
“They know we're here.”
“I know.”
“They'll come for you.”
I looked at him.
“They already did.”
Then the bank alarm sounded.
Every screen turned red.
A message appeared.
TRUST CONTROL TRANSFER INITIATED.
Daniel looked at me.
“Someone is attempting to transfer ownership.”
I walked toward the executive terminal.
“Can we stop it?”
“Only with your authorization.”
I placed my hand on the biometric scanner.
The system recognized me.
WELCOME, ELEANOR VALE.
Then another line appeared.
SECOND AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.
I looked at Grant.
“Whose?”
Daniel stared at the screen.
May you like
Then slowly said:
“Grant Rowan.”
