Chapter 4 - THE TWO MILLION DOLLAR LIE
Claire Sloane's death changed everything.
Police initially treated it as suspicious.
She had been found in her apartment.
There were no obvious signs of forced entry.
Her laptop was missing.
Her phone had been wiped.
And the last person known to have met her professionally was Gerard Whitlock.
Enzo's legal counsel advised him not to interfere with the investigation.
He agreed.
Then he ordered an independent audit of the waterfront redevelopment account.
The auditors discovered that the missing two million dollars had been routed through a construction subcontractor.
The company existed on paper.
Its registered address belonged to an empty warehouse.
And its director was a man who had died four years earlier.
Enzo stared at the report.
"Who approved the payment?"
His finance director hesitated.
"Gerard Whitlock."
Enzo leaned back.
Whitlock had worked for his father.
He had helped Enzo consolidate the business after the old man's death.
He had been trusted with contracts, unions, and political relationships.
Now his signature sat at the bottom of a fraudulent transfer.
Enzo looked toward the window.
"Where is he?"
"At the office."
"Bring him in."
Whitlock arrived twenty minutes later.
He looked irritated.
"What's this about?"
Enzo placed the audit report on the desk.
Whitlock glanced at it.
Then smiled.
"An accounting error."
"Two million dollars?"
"It happens."
"To a company with a dead director?"
Whitlock's smile faded.
Enzo watched him.
"Claire Sloane raised concerns about this transfer."
Whitlock stiffened.
"Claire was unstable."
"She's dead."
"I heard."
Enzo leaned forward.
"Did you threaten her?"
Whitlock laughed.
"Don't be ridiculous."
"Answer."
"No."
Enzo studied him.
Then said:
"You're suspended from all financial authority pending investigation."
Whitlock stared.
"You can't do that."
Enzo's expression remained calm.
"I just did."
Whitlock stood.
His face reddened.
"You think you can run this empire without me?"
Enzo looked at him.
"I intend to find out."
Whitlock leaned across the desk.
"Your father knew better than to question my loyalty."
Enzo's eyes narrowed.
"My father is dead."
Whitlock smiled.
"Exactly."
May you like
Then he walked out.
And for the first time, Enzo wondered whether the man who had helped bury his father might also have helped create the circumstances of his death.
