Chapter 8 - THE BOARDROOM WHERE THEY TRIED TO SILENCE US
"Then she'll remove you."
I looked at Julian across the conference table.
"If the trustees believe Victoria over us, she could take away your authority before we even present the evidence."
Julian nodded.
"That's possible."
"Doesn't that frighten you?"
"Yes."
I hadn't expected him to admit it.
He closed the laptop.
"But I helped fund the program. I owe the people affected by it an explanation, whether I remain on the board or not."
For the first time since seeing his signature, I believed he understood the cost of what had happened.
At eight forty-five the next morning, we entered the foundation's boardroom.
Eleven trustees sat around a polished walnut table.
Victoria occupied the chair at the far end.
She wore a cream-colored suit and a pearl necklace.
The same pearls she'd worn at the gala.
When she saw me, her expression hardened.
"This is a private board meeting."
Julian remained calm.
"Carolina is here concerning the ownership dispute. Her father, sister, and Evelyn Price are also available as witnesses."
Victoria looked toward Rafael and Sofia.
My father gripped the handle of his cane.
Sofia sat beside him, holding Mom's photograph.
Victoria's eyes lingered on the picture.
Then she turned away.
"These accusations are becoming ridiculous."
A trustee named Margaret Sullivan interrupted.
"Victoria, several members received Julian's concerns last night. We agreed the complainants should be heard before voting."
Victoria pressed her lips together.
"Very well."
Julian began with the original submissions.
Evelyn presented the dated archive inventory.
Five compositions.
All attributed to Elena Reyes.
Then she showed the revised entries.
Same musical identification numbers.
Different composer.
Victoria Luján.
One trustee leaned forward.
"How was that change justified?"
Victoria answered immediately.
"The foundation acquired the rights from the family."
I stood.
"My family never knowingly sold those compositions."
Victoria glanced at me.
"Your father signed the assistance agreement."
Dad shifted in his chair.
"I signed for medical assistance."
"And you accepted the money."
"Twelve thousand dollars," he replied. "Not six hundred thousand."
Several trustees exchanged looks.
Victoria continued.
"The family was facing financial hardship. The foundation helped them."
"That doesn't give you ownership of my wife's work."
My father rarely raised his voice.
Hearing him defend Mom made my eyes sting.
Victoria turned toward Julian.
"This is precisely why personal disputes shouldn't be brought before the board."
Julian opened the banking summary.
"Then let's discuss the transactions."
He explained that the account under my name had received approximately $618,000 in licensing payments.
The account also contained automatic transfer instructions directing most of that money to Luján Arts Initiative.
Victoria straightened.
"Those funds supported educational outreach."
"Some outreach expenses are documented," Julian said. "But the transfer arrangement raises serious questions because Carolina denies authorizing it."
"I won't accept criminal insinuations without evidence."
"Neither will I," he replied. "That's why an independent examination is necessary."
He showed the trustees the publication dates.
Three compositions had been distributed before the supposed rights acquisition.
The room grew quiet.
Then Sofia stood.
Her hands trembled around Mom's photograph.
"May I say something?"
Margaret nodded gently.
"Of course."
Sofia looked at Victoria.
"You told me I wasn't good enough for your scholarship."
Victoria's expression changed.
"I reviewed many applicants."
"You asked about my mother. Then you canceled my application."
"That's not accurate."
Sofia opened her folder.
"I have the email."
She read the notice showing that her application had been withdrawn.
Then Julian presented the internal instruction placing it on hold because of its connection to the Reyes catalog.
One trustee took off his glasses.
"Who approved this restriction?"
Julian pointed to the entry.
"The board chair's office."
Victoria said nothing.
I looked at my sister.
She was still frightened.
But she hadn't sat down.
I had never been prouder of her.
After a short recess, Victoria returned carrying a thick folder.
"I had hoped to avoid discussing a deceased woman's private financial arrangements," she said.
My stomach tightened.
"But considering these accusations, I have no choice."
She placed a document on the table.
It carried my mother's name.
Elena Reyes.
At the bottom was a signature that looked like hers.
Victoria turned toward the trustees.
"This is the agreement through which Elena authorized the foundation to use her compositions."
I stepped forward.
"Let me see it."
Victoria hesitated.
Margaret took the document and handed it to me.
The first page described the original charitable performance.
I recognized the language.
Then I turned to the second page.
A new section appeared.
Irrevocable Assignment of Musical Rights.
My heart dropped.
The third page contained Mom's signature.
For one terrible moment, I couldn't breathe.
If that signature applied to the entire agreement, Victoria might have the defense she'd been waiting for.
Dad leaned over my shoulder.
"Elena never showed me that."
Victoria's voice sharpened.
"Perhaps your wife didn't tell you everything."
I looked at the pages again.
Something was wrong.
The first page carried the old foundation logo.
The second page used a different layout.
And the signature page contained an ordinary acknowledgment for a charitable performance.
I turned toward Evelyn.
"Do you remember how many pages the original permission had?"
She opened her notebook.
"Two."
I looked down.
The document in my hand contained three.
Then I noticed the tiny inventory code in the lower corner of the first page.
The same code appeared on the signature page.
But the page containing the permanent rights assignment had a different code entirely.
I looked at Julian.
"This isn't one agreement."
Victoria stood.
"That is an outrageous accusation."
I held up the pages.
May you like
"Then explain why the page that gives you ownership belongs to a different document."
And for the first time since entering the boardroom, Victoria had no immediate answer.
