Chapter 3 - The Vendor Codes Lead To Brandon
The first review began before midnight.
The foundation’s chief financial officer, Lena Ortiz, pulled three years
of gala records.
Coastal Luxe appeared everywhere.
Event staffing.
Decor rentals.
Transportation.
Private security.
Premium hospitality.
The company had received more than $1.9 million from the foundation.
That was not automatically suspicious.
Large galas were expensive.
But Emma had noticed repeated vendor codes tied to services that did not
appear to exist.
One code, CLH-47, billed the foundation $84,000 for “executive guest
logistics.”
The hotel coordinator had never heard of it.
Another billed $62,000 for “donor hospitality suites.”
No suites had been booked.
Brandon’s attorney arrived quickly and warned everyone not to jump to
conclusions.
Henry agreed.
“We don’t convict people with spreadsheets.”
Emma appreciated that.
She wanted records, not theater.
Then Lena found the first real problem.
The bank account receiving some Coastal Luxe payments did not belong
directly to Brandon’s operating company.
It belonged to a related entity called Shoreline Advisory.
The registered manager was Brandon.
The mailing address belonged to Victoria’s private office.
Victoria folded her arms.
“Related companies are common.”
Emma nodded.
“They are.”
Then she pointed to the approval log.
Three payments to Shoreline Advisory had been approved by foundation
board members who also sat on Victoria’s charity committee.
One of them was standing twenty feet away.
Judge Malcolm Reed.
He had spent the evening telling guests how much Caroline Hale’s legacy
May you like
meant to him.
Now he looked like he wanted to disappear.
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