Chapter 7 - Eight Million Dollars Before Midnight
Arthur was in the back of Detective Collins's unmarked SUV before she finished saying, "Stay here."
"That's my company."
"And this is now an active criminal investigation."
"Then investigate while I stop them from stealing my son's money."
Collins gave him a hard look, then told the driver to move.
Elena stayed at the mansion with Leo and two officers.
At Bennett Financial Center, the lobby lights were mostly dark, but Arthur's CFO, Daniel Cho, stood waiting near the elevators.
"The request came through forty minutes ago," Daniel said. "Eight-point-six million from the Leo Bennett Family Trust to a Cayman holding company called Meridian Youth Initiative."
Arthur laughed without humor. "Youth initiative. That's cute."
"The authorization packet has your electronic signature."
"I never signed it."
Daniel handed Collins a printout.
"It also has Graham Pike's verification certificate."
They rode to the twenty-eighth floor.
Arthur's private office door was open.
Inside, a desk drawer had been forced.
His backup authentication key was missing.
"They can approve the transfer with that," Daniel said.
Arthur grabbed the desk phone and called the bank's executive fraud line.
"Freeze every trust account connected to my family. No exceptions."
A woman's voice answered, "Mr. Bennett, the transfer has already entered final review. We can suspend it for sixty minutes pending written fraud certification."
"Do it."
"We need the trust's legal administrator to confirm."
Arthur looked at Collins.
"Who's the administrator?"
Daniel answered.
"Graham Pike."
Arthur slammed his palm on the desk.
"Of course he is."
Then the office lights went out.
Emergency red strips flickered on near the floor.
Daniel swore.
Collins drew her weapon.
"Nobody move."
A door clicked somewhere in the dark.
Arthur heard footsteps running toward the private stairwell.
He followed before Collins could stop him.
Down one flight, a figure in a dark coat shoved through the fire door.
Arthur caught a glimpse of a pale hand.
A ruby ring flashed red under the emergency light.
"Pike!"
The lawyer ran.
Arthur chased him down two flights.
Pike threw a metal trash bin backward. Arthur jumped it, grabbed his coat, and slammed him against the railing.
"Where is Victoria?"
Pike smiled through heavy breathing.
"You're worried about the wrong person."
"Where is she?"
Pike's smile widened.
"Ask your housekeeper."
Arthur's blood turned cold.
His phone rang.
Elena's number.
May you like
He answered.
Leo was screaming in the background.
