Chapter 17 - The Transfer
Ethan stared at Claire as if she had struck him.
“I didn’t do that.”
Claire held up one finger.
Into the phone, she said, “Paul, what exactly was filed?”
“A transfer authorization bearing your signature and Ethan’s acceptance.”
“Is his signature real?”
“I can’t tell.”
Ethan spoke loudly enough for Paul to hear. “It’s not.”
Paul paused. “Ethan?”
“Yes. Send me the document.”
Within seconds, the email arrived.
Ethan opened it on the conference screen.
Claire’s signature was forged again.
So was Ethan’s.
Mia whispered, “Someone is trying to make it look like you two planned this together.”
Claire nodded.
If the transfer succeeded, Ethan would own Claire’s inherited shares. Then, even if the marriage failed, the Cole family might still control the vote.
Richard leaned toward the screen.
“That template came from our corporate legal drive.”
Bell looked at him. “Who has access?”
“Senior officers. Legal. Finance.”
“And Margaret?”
“Yes.”
“And Vanessa?”
Richard hesitated. “As vice president of communications, technically yes.”
Claire looked at Vanessa, who was sitting across the room with her lawyer after police allowed her to remain pending further questioning.
Vanessa noticed.
“I didn’t file that.”
“Why should I believe you?” Claire asked.
“Because if I wanted Ethan to own your shares, I wouldn’t have tried to stop the wedding.”
The logic was ugly, but it made sense.
Claire turned back to Paul. “Can you freeze the transfer?”
“I can challenge it. I’ve already notified the custodian.”
“Can you join the 7:00 p.m. vote?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Bring everything.”
At 6:42 p.m., the conference room filled with attorneys, board members on video, trust administrators, and one very tired bride in a stained dress.
The emergency vote opened at 7:00 sharp.
Margaret appeared by video from a police interview room with counsel beside her.
Her face was calm again.
“Before we begin,” she said, “I move that Claire Bennett be recognized as Ethan Cole’s spouse-equivalent beneficiary under the executed consent already on file.”
Claire leaned toward the microphone.
“I object.”
The trust administrator looked into the camera.
“Ms. Bennett, on what basis?”
May you like
Claire held up the original signature records Paul had sent.
“On the basis that someone stole my name.”
