The Accountant’s Message
Chapter 05 - The Accountant’s Message
Claire closed the side-room door and sat with Lily on a velvet bench.
Rosa brought soup, bread, fruit, and water.
Lily ate carefully, still watching the doorway.
Claire hated that.
A child should not look toward a door before taking a bite.
Her phone vibrated.
The foundation accountant, Daniel Price, had sent three files.
The files showed a twelve-million-dollar sale, payment routed to Mercer Capital, and Claire’s electronic approval.
Claire had never signed it.
She enlarged the signature.
It looked convincing.
Grant had access to her archived documents and foundation credentials.
Lily touched Claire’s hand.
“Is Grant mad because I ate?”
Claire locked the phone.
“No.”
“He said I embarrass him.”
Claire felt something break cleanly inside her.
“You did nothing wrong.”
“Will he send me away?”
The question arrived so softly Claire nearly missed it.
“Why would you ask that?”
Lily looked at her plate.
“He said after the sale, we would have a new house. He said maybe I could stay at school.”
Claire’s chest tightened.
Grant had found a boarding academy outside Connecticut.
May you like
He described it as an opportunity.
Now she understood it as removal.
