Chapter 5: The Family Betrayal
My father stared at the photograph as though the paper had suddenly become too heavy to hold.
Uncle Raymond.
His younger brother.
The man who had taught me how to ride a bicycle.
The man who attended my high school graduation and gave me my first car.
The man who used to bring birthday cakes to our house and call me his favorite niece.
I looked at Dad.
"Are you sure?""
Thomas nodded.
"I wouldn't bring this to you without evidence.""
Dad slowly sat down.
"Raymond has been helping me oversee several community projects.""
Thomas placed the documents in front of him.
"That's why I believe he had access to the theater's financial structure.""
Richard looked confused.
"But Raymond isn't an employee here.""
"No," Thomas said.
"He's a board adviser. He was given temporary financial oversight during the renovation.""
Dad's eyes narrowed.
"Temporary?""
Thomas nodded.
"His authority was supposed to end eight months ago.""
Evelyn turned toward Richard.
"Was it renewed?""
Richard shook his head.
"Not officially.""
Thomas pointed to another document.
"Then somebody continued using his credentials.""
The room seemed to shrink.
I shifted Micah gently against my shoulder.
"Dad, why would Uncle Raymond do this?""
My father didn't answer immediately.
He looked at the photograph again.
"That's what I intend to find out.""
Thomas opened the financial records.
"Over the past fourteen months, approximately eight hundred thousand dollars has been transferred through three vendor accounts.""
Richard stared at him.
"Eight hundred thousand?""
"Yes.""
"That's more than our annual maintenance budget.""
Thomas nodded.
"Which is why I started investigating.""
Evelyn examined the records.
"Do you have bank confirmations?""
"Copies of the transaction statements. The original records are in the finance office.""
Dad stood.
"Then we'll secure them.""
Richard looked at Victoria.
"Did you know about these transfers?""
Victoria shook her head rapidly.
"No. I manage operations. I don't manage the finances.""
Thomas looked directly at her.
"You approved the vendor invoices.""
"I approved hundreds of invoices.""
"These invoices were for services that were never performed.""
Victoria's face tightened.
"That's not my responsibility.""
Thomas removed a printed invoice.
"Here's one for emergency plumbing work in the east wing.""
He placed a second document beside it.
"Here's the building inspection report showing that no plumbing work was performed.""
Then a third.
"And here's the payment confirmation.""
Evelyn examined the dates.
"All three documents were processed within forty-eight hours.""
Thomas nodded.
"Exactly.""
Victoria looked toward Richard.
"Why are we doing this in front of everyone? We should handle this privately.""
My father answered.
"Because you made a public spectacle of my daughter. The evidence will be handled properly, but nobody is going to pretend this never happened.""
At that moment, Daniel spoke.
"There's something I need to tell you.""
Victoria turned toward him.
"Daniel, don't.""
He took off his earpiece and placed it on the table.
"I'm done.""
Richard looked at him.
"Done with what?""
Daniel took a breath.
"I've been following instructions from Victoria for months. She told me which guests to redirect, which complaints to ignore, and which incidents to report as misunderstandings.""
Alicia looked at him.
"You knew?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you say anything?""
He looked ashamed.
"Because I was afraid of losing my job.""
Victoria laughed bitterly.
"Now you're pretending to be a hero?""
Daniel ignored her.
He turned toward my father.
"I didn't know about the money transfers. But I knew something was wrong.""
Dad studied him.
"Did you know Danielle was coming tonight?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes.""
"Who told you to block her?""
"Victoria.""
"Why?""
Daniel looked at the floor.
"She said the owner had given specific instructions.""
Dad's face hardened.
"I gave no such instructions.""
"I know that now.""
Victoria slammed her hand against the table.
"Enough!""
Micah startled awake.
I immediately rocked him.
"Shh, sweetheart. Mommy's here.""
Dad turned toward Victoria.
"Look at what you've done. Even now, you can't control your temper long enough to let a baby sleep.""
Victoria looked at me with open hostility.
"You think you're innocent in all this? Your father has been using his influence to control this theater for years.""
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
She pointed toward Dad.
"He comes here whenever he wants. Everyone jumps when he speaks. He thinks he owns every person in this building.""
My father calmly replied.
"I don't own people, Victoria.""
He paused.
"But I do own the building.""
Richard lowered his eyes.
Victoria's mouth tightened.
"That doesn't give you the right to ruin my life.""
Dad stepped closer.
"You ruined your position when you chose to strike a mother holding a newborn.""
Thomas cleared his throat.
"There's something else.""
Everybody turned.
He opened his folder and removed a printed email.
"This was sent from Raymond's account to Victoria yesterday.""
Evelyn took the document.
She read it carefully.
Then she looked up.
"What does this mean?""
Thomas pointed to the final paragraph.
"Raymond instructed Victoria to make sure Danielle never entered the theater tonight.""
My father stared at the page.
"Why Danielle?""
Thomas hesitated.
"Because she was listed as the beneficiary of the theater's new community arts initiative.""
I blinked.
"What?""
Dad looked at me.
"You're the beneficiary?""
I shook my head.
"I didn't know anything about that.""
Thomas explained.
"Six months ago, Marcus proposed a program that would provide free theater education to children from underserved neighborhoods. The project was supposed to be named after your late mother.""
My throat tightened.
Grandma Evelyn had loved theater.
She used to take me to performances when I was a child, even when she couldn't afford expensive tickets.
Thomas continued.
"Your father wanted you to help oversee the program. The first allocation was supposed to be two million dollars.""
I looked at Dad.
He nodded slowly.
"I wanted it to be a surprise.""
My eyes filled.
"Mom's name?""
"Yes.""
Thomas placed another document on the table.
"But the money allocated for that initiative was diverted before the project could launch.""
Evelyn looked at the financial summary.
"How much was diverted?""
"One million two hundred thousand dollars.""
Dad's face hardened.
"Where did it go?""
Thomas pointed toward a series of transfers.
"Several accounts. The last transfer went to a company registered in Delaware.""
Richard frowned.
"Who owns the company?""
Thomas opened another page.
The registered owner was listed.
My father leaned closer.
Then he froze.
The company wasn't registered to Victoria.
It wasn't registered to Raymond.
It was registered to me.
*Danielle Brooks.*
I felt the room tilt.
"That's impossible.""
Evelyn immediately took the paper.
"Danielle, have you ever registered a company in Delaware?""
"No.""
"Have you ever authorized a financial transfer?""
"Never.""
Dad looked at Thomas.
"How did somebody use my daughter's name?""
Thomas swallowed.
"That's the part I haven't figured out.""
Then his phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
A message had arrived from an unknown number.
He read it once.
Then again.
His face turned pale.
"What is it?"" Richard asked.
Thomas placed the phone on the table.
May you like
The message contained six words.
*Raymond knows we're looking. He's coming.*