Chapter 7 - Eleanor’s Name
Eleanor stared at the records.
“I never approved those purchases.”
The signature looked authentic.
The dates did not.
One authorization had been filed while Eleanor was recovering from surgery and unable to attend meetings.
Another had been submitted from Victoria’s private office.
A third used an electronic certificate Eleanor had reported missing years earlier.
Victoria immediately blamed Leah.
“She had access to Eleanor’s personal files.”
Leah’s face went pale.
Again, suspicion traveled downward.
The employee with the keys became the easiest person to accuse.
Arthur looked at Leah.
“Did you ever use Eleanor’s signature?”
“No.”
Victoria folded her arms.
“She handled the correspondence.”
Leah opened her work log.
Every day.
Every document.
Every delivery.
She had kept records because staff were expected to remember details wealthy families forgot.
On the date of the largest transfer, Leah was attending her mother’s funeral.
Arthur verified it.
Victoria’s accusation collapsed.
Then the estate archivist found the electronic access source.
The approvals came from Arthur’s study.
He went still.
“My study was locked.”
“Who had the key?” Eleanor asked.
Arthur looked toward Victoria.
She had one.
So did he.
And so did Ethan Harrington, Arthur and Eleanor’s only son.
Ethan had lived in California for seven years.
He publicly claimed no interest in the family estate.
Yet his private investment firm was the company purchasing the employee apartments.
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Victoria had not created the sale.
She was arranging it for him.
