The Second Set of Books
Chapter 03 - The Second Set of Books
Richard asked Claire to meet him the following morning at seven.
Not at the Bennett corporate office.
At a diner forty minutes outside the city.
That alone told her how serious it was.
Richard Bennett had spent his entire adult life believing important conversations belonged in conference rooms.
Now he sat across from Claire in a cracked vinyl booth, stirring coffee he had not touched.
“I should have told you six months ago.”
Claire folded her hands.
“Told me what?”
Richard placed a flash drive on the table.
“Grant has been moving money.”
Claire felt something tighten in her chest.
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“Millions.”
For several seconds, Claire heard nothing except silverware against plates.
Richard explained that a junior accountant had discovered duplicate financial reports. One version went to the board.
Another went to Grant.
Loans had been taken against hotel assets. Vendor payments had been delayed. Several properties had been used as collateral without full board approval.
Harbor House was supposed to solve the problem.
Grant would sell it quickly, cover the missing money, and no one would ask questions.
“Why didn’t you stop him?” Claire asked.
Richard looked older than he had the night before.
“Because he’s my son.”
Claire almost laughed.
Instead, she looked out the window.
“For twenty-two years, everyone told me I was lucky to marry into your family.”
Richard said nothing.
“I gave Grant my property. I hosted your events. I raised his daughter while he built his reputation. And every time something went wrong, I was told protecting the Bennett name mattered more than the truth.”
Richard pushed the flash drive toward her.
“I’m not asking you to protect us anymore.”
Claire did not pick it up.
“What are you asking?”
“Save the company.”
She finally looked at him.
“No.”
Richard blinked.
“I’ll protect the employees,” Claire said. “I’ll protect Harbor House. I’ll protect innocent investors if I can.”
She pushed the drive back toward him.
“But I will not spend another twenty years cleaning up after a Bennett man.”
She stood.
Then Richard said the one thing that made her stop.
“If Grant loses control of the company, someone else is waiting to take it.”
Claire turned slowly.
“Who?”
Richard looked down at the table.
“A woman named Vanessa Cole.”
Claire knew the name.
Everyone did.
Vanessa was Grant’s thirty-two-year-old vice president of communications.
The woman Grant had insisted was “like family.”
May you like
Claire sat back down.
And this time, she picked up the flash drive.
