Chapter 4
Rachel arrived at eight carrying a laptop and a banker’s box.
Vittorio recognized the box.
It came from the Greco Family Arts Foundation archive room.
“You took records?”
“Copies.”
“Why?”
“Because Claire asked me to.”
Vittorio did not sit.
Rachel opened the box.
The foundation had begun twenty-two years earlier as a small family charity supporting music programs at Chicago public schools.
It expanded after Claire married Vittorio.
Claire had been a music teacher in Bridgeport before they met.
After Nico was born with a condition that affected his mobility, Claire created an adaptive music program for children who could not use traditional instruments or access conventional stages.
Donations doubled within two years.
Then Claire became ill.
Bianca began handling more events.
Owen took control of logistics contracts.
Rachel removed several invoices.
Stage rental.
Audio equipment.
Accessibility modifications.
Concert transportation.
The expenses appeared ordinary.
The amounts did not.
“This wheelchair ramp cost eighty-four thousand dollars?”
Rachel shook her head.
“It didn’t.”
“Then why did we pay it?”
“That’s what Claire wanted to know.”
Rachel opened her laptop.
The invoice came from an event-services company called Northline Cultural Logistics.
Owen had recommended it.
Over eighteen months, Northline received more than $900,000 from the foundation.
Vittorio frowned.
“For what?”
“That’s the problem.”
Rachel pulled out photographs of prior events.
Several items Northline billed as custom equipment belonged to the concert hall already.
Some services had been billed twice.
Claire discovered the discrepancies seven months before her death.
“Why didn’t you bring this to me?”
Rachel looked at him.
“She wanted to.”
“Then why didn’t she?”
“Because every time she tried to get fifteen minutes alone with you, Bianca was there first.”
Vittorio remembered hospital corridors.
Bianca bringing coffee.
Bianca handling calls.
Bianca telling him Claire needed rest.
At the time, he had been grateful.
Rachel pushed the banker’s box toward him.
“Freeze Owen’s vendor authority.”
“That will cancel half the foundation’s current contracts.”
“Yes.”
“The next fundraiser is in twelve days.”
“Yes.”
Vittorio took out his phone.
Rachel watched him.
“You understand what this does?”
“Yes.”
He called the foundation’s finance director.
“Effective immediately, no invoice connected to Owen Greco or any vendor he introduced gets paid without independent review.”
May you like
By 8:23 a.m., the foundation’s normal operations had begun to break apart.
By 8:31, Owen was calling him.
