Chapter 7 - THE MAN WHO SAID ELIAS SIGNED EVERYTHING
Elias did not confront Grant at work.
He wanted to.
Instead, Molly called an attorney she knew through her husband.
The attorney’s name was Rebecca Sloan? We already have wife Rebecca; avoid. Use Mara Collins.
Mara listened, then said:
“Do not warn him.”
Elias hated that.
“He threatened my kid.”
“Save the recordings.”
“He forged my name.”
“Preserve the records.”
“I want him to know I know.”
“That helps him destroy evidence.”
Elias understood logistics.
That language worked.
The next morning he went to Caldwell Residential as usual.
Grant was in his glass office.
He smiled when Elias entered.
“Everything okay at home?”
Elias nearly hit him.
Instead:
“Josephine had a rough night.”
Grant’s eyes shifted.
Barely.
“Teenagers.”
“Yeah.”
Elias held the gaze.
“Teenagers.”
Then walked out.
For three days he copied what he was legally entitled to access through his role:
purchase logs,
delivery schedules,
field reports,
approved vendor lists.
He found seventeen Midstate Timber invoices.
Total:
$486,000.
Actual material corresponding to them:
almost none.
His digital signature appeared on twelve.
His credentials showed approvals at times Elias could prove he was physically elsewhere.
One approval occurred while he was at Josephine’s track meet.
Another while he was in emergency dental surgery.
Another at 2:14 a.m.
Elias never approved purchases at 2:14 a.m.
Then IT metadata showed approvals originated from Rebecca’s home-office IP address.
Grant had built the triangle perfectly.
Company money leaves.
Elias supposedly approves.
Rebecca processes.
If caught, husband and wife appear to be stealing together.
Grant stands above it.
That was why Josephine had been told telling Dad would ruin him.
May you like
Because the threat contained truth.
Just not the truth Grant wanted her to believe.
