Chapter 12 - THE MONEY UNDER THE WATER|
The marina project had been announced as a Briarwood investment.
Public filings showed that Briarwood Development had financed the expansion through a series of private loans. But the old ledger suggested the money might have originated somewhere else.
Everett's team spent two days tracing the transfers.
Camille spent those same two days meeting hotel managers.
She learned which properties were struggling, which employees had been waiting months for promised repairs, and which departments had been forced to cut costs to cover executive bonuses.
For the first time, she understood the full scale of the damage.
Her father had not simply made one reckless investment.
He had built a business model around postponing bad news.
At the end of the second day, Everett called her into the hotel office.
"We found the original payment."
He placed a document on the desk.
A Harrow Coast subsidiary had transferred six million dollars to a marina construction account. The transfer had been disguised as a consulting fee.
"That money came from our hotel operations?"
"Yes."
"And Briarwood claimed it as its own investment?"
"According to these records."
Camille stared at the page.
"Can we prove it?"
"We can establish a paper trail. We need the bank records and testimony from the people who approved the transaction."
"Who approved it?"
Everett pointed to the signature.
Nathan Harrow.
Camille closed her eyes.
She had wanted to believe there was a reasonable explanation. Perhaps her father had been pressured. Perhaps he had made a desperate mistake.
But the pattern was becoming impossible to ignore.
Her phone rang.
It was Oliver.
"Camille, I need to talk to you."
"About what?"
"My father has asked me to sign a statement saying you knew about the transfer."
Camille went still.
"What?"
"He says you were involved in the marina financing."
"That's a lie."
"I know."
"Then why are you calling?"
"Because he's threatening to cut me off and remove me from the company if I refuse."
Camille looked at Everett.
"Are you going to sign it?" she asked.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I won't help him destroy another person."
There was a pause.
Then Oliver said, "There's something else. Sloane has been telling people you and Everett planned this entire thing together. She's saying you attended the event to create a scandal and force a takeover."
Camille almost laughed.
"Let her talk."
"She has photographs."
"What photographs?"
"Pictures of you and Everett together eighteen months ago. And a document that makes it look like you were negotiating with Kane Meridian before the event."
Camille's stomach tightened.
Everett took the phone.
"Oliver, send us everything."
When the call ended, he looked at Camille.
"Someone is trying to make this look like a hostile takeover."
"Can they?"
"Not if we establish the truth."
Camille looked at the old hotel through the office window.
Then she saw a black car pull into the parking lot.
A man stepped out.
Peter Voss.
May you like
The missing attorney.
And he was carrying a briefcase.
