Chapter 9 - MATTHEW STARTED SAYING CLAIRE STOLE FROM THE COMPANY
When the financial review became public to vendors, Matthew changed his story.
Not officially.
Socially.
He told subcontractors Claire had “locked up company money during a divorce.”
He told Diane that Claire was trying to seize Mercer Homeworks.
He told an old friend that Claire had always wanted to sell the business.
Then two clients called Claire directly.
“Matthew said you moved deposits.”
Claire’s stomach turned.
“What?”
“He said the accounting problem was yours.”
There it was.
The beginning of a different narrative.
Claire asked the CPA to preserve every internal ledger and access log.
The review showed something important.
Claire’s user account had approved two MRC transfers.
But the logins occurred while Claire was attending an industry conference in Chicago.
That did not automatically prove she could not have logged in remotely.
Then the security log showed the device.
Matthew’s office desktop.
His profile.
Claire’s credentials.
Someone had used Claire’s login from Matthew’s computer.
Claire remembered giving him her password once months earlier when she was home sick and a payroll batch needed release.
She never changed it.
Another mistake.
Not consent.
A vulnerability.
The CPA found draft emails saved in Matthew’s account.
One read:
Claire controls finance. She made several unauthorized transfers while under personal stress. I am reviewing exposure.
Never sent.
Dated the morning after the garage incident.
Claire stared.
The draft existed before police finished interviewing her.
Matthew had already been preparing to blame her financially.
Then James obtained preliminary discovery related to the land deal.
MRC’s lender had asked why Claire was not attending Monday’s closing.
Matthew answered by email Thursday afternoon.
Hours before the garage incident.
Claire may be unavailable due to an urgent personal matter. I have full authority to proceed.
Claire read the timestamp.
3:41 p.m.
She did not tell Matthew she was leaving until after 5:00.
Her skin went cold.
May you like
He had been preparing for her absence before she announced it.
That changed everything.
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