Chapter 3 - THE FIRST MISSING MILLION
Sophia thought Ryan was lying to distract her.
Reasonable.
She ordered him out.
Then called attorney Rachel Sloan.
Rachel had handled Thomas Carter’s estate.
By midnight, she was at the mansion.
Sophia sat in a robe.
Emily sat across the room.
Neither looked at the other.
Ryan was gone.
Rachel asked:
“What did he mean by the trust?”
Sophia answered:
“I don’t know.”
Then Emily said quietly:
“He asked me about the successor trustee clause.”
Sophia looked at her for the first time.
“When?”
“Months ago.”
“Why?”
“He said Dad’s documents were confusing.”
Sophia laughed bitterly.
“And you believed him.”
Emily absorbed it.
“Yes.”
Rachel opened the trust agreement.
Primary trustee:
Sophia Carter.
Successor trustee if Sophia:
resigns,
dies,
is incapacitated,
or is removed by court.
Emily Carter.
Then investment records.
Rachel noticed three entities.
Westhaven Management.
Carter Strategic Partners.
North Bridge Advisory.
All received consulting fees.
Total:
$1.18 million.
Sophia frowned.
“Ryan said those were restructuring expenses.”
Rachel asked:
“Approved by you?”
“I signed quarterly summaries.”
“Did you approve each contract?”
“No.”
Then Emily whispered:
“Ryan asked me to initial some backup pages.”
Sophia turned sharply.
“What?”
“He said you already approved them.”
Rachel’s expression changed.
“Do you have copies?”
Emily did.
Email attachments.
The documents carried Sophia’s signature.
Not real.
Then Emily’s initials.
Real.
Ryan had created a paper trail:
Sophia authorized.
Emily acknowledged.
Two sisters.
May you like
Two layers.
One fraud.
