Chapter 5
Victoria changed her story first.
Rebecca presented her attorney with the parking record.
The response came the next morning.
Victoria admitted she had known Adrian before Grace died.
Professionally.
She claimed Adrian had considered hiring her event-planning company for an Arts Fund gala that was eventually canceled.
Dante read the statement twice.
“What company?”
“Lane Cultural Events,” Rebecca said.
“It still exists?”
“Closed eighteen months ago.”
“Did Grace’s foundation ever hire it?”
“We’re checking.”
They found six payments.
Not large enough to attract attention individually.
Together they totaled $184,000 over fourteen months.
Every invoice described event preparation, venue deposits, sponsorship consulting, or educational programming.
Several referenced events Rebecca could not confirm had ever occurred.
Adrian had approved the payments.
Grace had approved two.
Or at least her electronic signature appeared on them.
Victoria’s company had therefore been receiving Moretti money while she now claimed she had merely been considered for one canceled event.
Dante called her.
She answered after the third ring.
“Did you steal from my wife?”
“No.”
“Then tell me why your company received six payments you forgot to mention.”
Silence.
“Victoria.”
“I did legitimate work.”
“Show me.”
“My old company records are incomplete.”
Dante almost laughed.
“Of course they are.”
She became angry.
“You’ve already decided I’m guilty because Lily recognized four minutes of music.”
“Forty-three seconds.”
“What?”
“You played forty-three seconds.”
Dante’s voice stayed quiet.
“And my daughter knew you shouldn’t know a single one.”
Victoria hung up.
An hour later Adrian came to the estate without permission.
Security stopped him at the gate.
Dante went outside rather than invite him in.
Adrian stood beside his car.
“You’re turning an old accounting problem into something it wasn’t.”
“What was it?”
“Sloppy charity work.”
“Victoria’s company took money.”
“She provided services.”
“Name one.”
Adrian hesitated.
Dante stepped closer.
“You’ve lied about when you met her. She lied too. Grace ordered a vendor review. Someone using Grace’s credentials canceled it from your office.”
Adrian’s face hardened.
“You don’t know what Grace was doing.”
Dante stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing.”
“No.”
Dante looked at him.
“That’s the first thing you’ve said that sounds like you actually knew what my wife was doing.”
May you like
Adrian realized his mistake.
He got back into the car without another word.
