Chapter 3
The following morning, Luciano brought in an independent accounting firm.
Grant called that betrayal.
Luciano called it accounting.
Odessa refused to participate until her lawyer arrived.
That was fine.
The documents could speak without her.
The first finding was complicated.
Money had indeed been moved from the youth fund into Moretti Athletic Development.
But it had not simply disappeared.
Some paid architects.
Some paid zoning consultants.
Some covered deposits on land.
The Westchester fencing project was real.
That gave Grant his first defense.
“I was building something for the family.”
“With Catherine’s charity money.”
“Temporarily.”
“You were denied funding twice.”
“I was denied family capital. The foundation had idle cash.”
Luciano stared at him.
“Money for children isn't idle because you haven't spent it yet.”
Grant looked away.
Then the accountants found something less defensible.
Several transfers went to a construction-management company owned by one of Grant’s longtime business partners.
The fees were unusually high.
Odessa had approved them.
She claimed she relied on Grant.
That irritated Luciano.
“You relied on Grant when it was convenient.”
She looked at him coldly.
“You rely on everyone until something goes wrong.”
The accusation landed.
Luciano had not reviewed Catherine’s fund once since her death.
He told himself it was because looking at the charity hurt.
In reality, grief had become an excuse to hand responsibility to other people.
Then the fencing club’s security manager called.
There was footage from the donor corridor.
Not enough to show every conversation.
Enough to show what happened before Odessa accused Mabel.
The video showed Mabel wandering toward the donor office.
Grant exited carrying a folder.
A piece of blue paper slipped out.
Mabel picked it up.
Odessa noticed.
She approached the child.
The audio was unavailable.
But Mabel shook her head and placed the paper inside her purse.
Odessa walked directly toward Grant.
They spoke.
Then Grant removed something small from Odessa’s clutch.
The diamond brooch.
Luciano paused the video.
“What happens next?”
The manager continued.
Grant followed Mabel toward the benefit floor.
At one point he reached toward her purse.
Then Luciano walked into view speaking with two guests.
Grant immediately stepped away.
Thirty seconds later he returned to Odessa.
His hand went into her clutch.
Then Odessa crossed the floor and loudly announced the brooch was missing.
Luciano finally understood why Grant lunged for it when it fell.
The plan had failed before Odessa even started accusing Mabel.
Grant had been supposed to plant the brooch in the child’s purse.
May you like
When Luciano appeared too close, he panicked and put it back.
Odessa never realized.
