Chapter 4: The Name Behind the Fraud
My father's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Thomas Whitaker.""
Richard Coleman took a step backward.
"No. That can't be right.""
Victoria stopped moving toward the door.
For the first time that evening, she looked genuinely frightened.
I sat on the sofa with Micah resting against my chest, watching the adults gather around the laptop. I didn't recognize the name immediately, but I recognized the reaction.
Something terrible had just been uncovered.
"Who is Thomas Whitaker?"" I asked.
My father turned toward me.
"He's the theater's chief financial officer.""
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"Thomas has worked here for sixteen years. He's one of the most trusted people in the organization.""
Evelyn Price examined the document again.
"Trusted or not, this authorization is suspicious. The signature doesn't appear consistent with the signature on the original board documents.""
Richard leaned over the laptop.
"That's impossible. Thomas handles the financial department. He has access to the accounts.""
"Access isn't authorization," Evelyn replied.
Victoria suddenly laughed.
"You're all jumping to conclusions. Thomas is a respected professional. You cannot accuse someone of fraud because of a document on a computer.""
My father looked at her.
"Then perhaps you can explain why you were instructed to keep me away from these records.""
Victoria folded her arms.
"I don't know what that message means.""
"Your name is on the email.""
"Somebody could have sent it from my account.""
"Your password was private.""
She looked toward Daniel.
He lowered his eyes.
Dad turned toward Richard.
"Call Thomas.""
Richard hesitated.
"It's after seven. He's probably at home.""
"Then interrupt his evening.""
Richard picked up his phone and walked toward the window.
I watched him dial.
"Thomas? It's Richard. I need you at the theater immediately.""
A pause.
"No, this isn't something we can discuss over the phone.""
Another pause.
"Yes. Now.""
He ended the call.
"He says he'll be here in twenty minutes.""
Evelyn closed the laptop.
"Until then, I want copies of every relevant document. Nobody deletes anything, nobody modifies the system, and nobody contacts anyone about the investigation without legal authorization.""
Victoria shook her head.
"This is turning into a circus.""
I looked at her.
"You made it a circus when you slapped me in front of everyone.""
She glared at me.
"You should be grateful we're even discussing this. Most people would have been escorted out immediately.""
My father turned.
"Victoria, stop talking to my daughter.""
His voice wasn't loud.
But she stopped.
Alicia, the front-desk employee, appeared in the doorway.
She was still holding her tablet.
"Mr. Brooks? There's something else.""
Dad looked at her.
"What is it?""
She glanced nervously at Richard.
"I checked the complaint archive. There are more than twenty complaints about Ms. Harris from the last eighteen months.""
Richard frowned.
"Twenty?""
Alicia nodded.
"Guests reported being treated differently at the entrance. Some said their reservations disappeared. Others said they were told the reserved seating area was full even when seats remained available.""
Victoria interrupted.
"Those were isolated customer-service issues.""
Alicia shook her head.
"One guest was a retired judge. Another was a donor who had supported the theater for fifteen years.""
Richard looked stunned.
"Why wasn't I informed?""
Alicia hesitated.
"Some complaints were closed before they reached your office.""
"By whom?""
She turned her tablet around.
The same administrator account appeared repeatedly.
V.HARRIS.
Victoria threw her hands up.
"This is absurd! I have hundreds of responsibilities. I cannot personally investigate every complaint.""
Alicia answered quietly.
"You didn't investigate them. You closed them.""
The room fell silent.
My father pulled a chair toward the table.
"Show us.""
Alicia opened the first complaint.
It came from a Black couple who had purchased front-row tickets for their anniversary.
According to the report, they had been stopped at the reserved entrance and told their tickets were invalid.
They had eventually been seated in the back.
The complaint included a photograph of their original tickets.
The second report came from a mother who had been told she couldn't bring her service animal into the theater.
The third described an elderly man being publicly embarrassed because an employee questioned whether he could afford his reserved seat.
Each report contained the same closing note.
*CUSTOMER MISUNDERSTANDING. NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED.*
Evelyn studied the screen.
"Who authorized these closures?""
Alicia clicked the history.
"Victoria.""
Victoria stepped forward.
"I've already explained myself.""
Dad raised his hand.
"Nobody asked you to explain anything yet.""
She stopped.
I looked down at Micah.
He had finally fallen asleep.
His tiny fingers rested against my blouse.
I thought about how easily somebody could have frightened him even more than they already had.
I thought about the mother who had been humiliated at her anniversary.
The elderly man who had been made to feel unwelcome.
The people who had probably gone home believing they were the problem.
My father's words interrupted my thoughts.
"Danielle, are you comfortable staying here?""
I nodded.
"Yes.""
"Good. Because I want you to see what happens when people are held accountable.""
I looked at him.
"I don't want anybody fired just because they're connected to what happened to me.""
He studied my face.
"Neither do I.""
Then he added:
"But nobody gets to hide behind a job title.""
Twenty minutes later, the private lounge door opened.
A tall white man in his early sixties entered wearing a navy suit. His silver hair was neatly combed, and he carried a leather briefcase.
Thomas Whitaker.
He smiled when he saw Richard.
"What's the emergency?""
Then he noticed my father.
His smile disappeared.
"Marcus.""
"Thomas.""
Thomas looked at the laptop.
"What's going on?""
Richard pointed toward the document.
"We found a questionable authorization involving a transfer of theater funds.""
Thomas set his briefcase down.
"Then you should speak with accounting.""
Evelyn stepped forward.
"We're speaking with you because your name appears on the authorization.""
Thomas looked at the screen.
He leaned closer.
Then he laughed.
"That's not my signature.""
Victoria exhaled.
"See? I told you.""
But Evelyn didn't move.
"Do you recognize the document?""
Thomas examined it again.
"Yes. This looks like a transfer request. But I never approved it.""
Dad folded his arms.
"Who did?""
Thomas looked at Victoria.
She immediately shook her head.
"Don't look at me.""
He opened his briefcase and removed a folder.
"I've been investigating irregularities in the theater's accounts for three months.""
Richard's eyes widened.
"Three months?""
Thomas nodded.
"Several payments were being routed through a vendor that shouldn't exist.""
He placed a printed document on the table.
"The company was registered under a different name, but the bank details matched an account connected to someone inside this building.""
Evelyn examined the page.
"Who?""
Thomas looked toward the door.
"I was supposed to meet the person responsible tonight.""
My father stared at him.
"Who were you meeting?""
Thomas swallowed.
Then he pointed toward Victoria.
"Her.""
Victoria went completely still.
"That's a lie.""
Thomas removed another sheet.
"This is a record of a meeting scheduled for tonight. Victoria requested that I bring the original financial documents.""
Richard looked between them.
"Why?""
Thomas shook his head.
"She said the owner was coming, and she wanted the records removed before he arrived.""
Victoria's face drained of color.
Dad glanced at Evelyn.
"Well, it seems we have our answer.""
But Thomas wasn't finished.
He opened a final folder.
"I also found something that concerns you personally, Marcus.""
Dad's expression changed.
"What?""
Thomas placed a photograph on the table.
It showed the theater's executive board meeting from six months earlier.
Standing beside Victoria was a familiar man.
My father's younger brother.
My Uncle Raymond.
And beneath the photograph was a document showing that Raymond had approved the mysterious vendor payments.
My father stared at the picture.
For the first time that night, he looked genuinely hurt.
"Why is my brother involved in this?""
Thomas lowered his voice.
"Because Raymond isn't just connected to the money.""
May you like
He looked at Victoria.
"He's the person who arranged the entire operation.""