Chapter 4 - NATHAN WASN’T PART OF THE THEFTNathan came to the hospital voluntarily.
He brought bank records.
“I know what you found.”
I stared.
“You own North Star Holdings Two.”
“Technically.”
He looked ashamed.
“Mom asked me to create it.”
“Why?”
“She said it was for a real-estate acquisition.”
“How much money moved through it?”
“Four million.”
“And you didn’t ask?”
“I did.”
“What did she say?”
“Confidential foundation project.”
I stared.
“You signed?”
“Yes.”
He covered his face.
“I’m an idiot.”
“Maybe.”
He looked up.
I continued.
“But idiot and conspirator are different.”
That mattered.
Nathan had never taken money personally.
He created the LLC.
Signed formation documents.
Then gave Diane control.
Reckless.
Potentially serious.
But not proof he knew.
He had also recently discovered irregularities.
That was why he attended the party despite barely speaking to Diane for months.
“I was going to confront Mom.”
“About the money?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know your company was involved.”
Then:
“And I thought Julian knew.”
I looked at him.
“He didn’t.”
Nathan laughed bitterly.
“None of us tell each other anything.”
Accurate.
Then he said:
“I heard Chloe talking to Mom before the party.”
My body tensed.
“What did they say?”
“Something about stairs.”
My blood went cold.
“What?”
He looked sick.
“I didn’t understand until she shoved you.”
Nathan had followed them briefly.
He heard Diane say:
“Not here. Too many cameras.”
Chloe answered:
“Outside then.”
Diane:
“Nothing dramatic.”
Nothing dramatic.
Just enough to make a seven-month-pregnant woman fall.
Nathan called himself a coward for not warning me.
I didn’t absolve him.
He should have.
But the responsibility still belonged first to the people planning harm.
Then Nathan handed me his phone.
He had recorded part of the conversation.
Diane’s voice:
“If Evelyn is hospitalized before the transfer, Julian can step in temporarily.”
Chloe:
“Are you sure?”
Diane:
“Peter checked.”
Peter Sloan.
May you like
The administrator.
Now we had another name.
