Chapter 6 - THE SIGNATURE THAT COULD DESTROY EVERYTHING
“Those cottages aren't empty,” Rosa said.
Thomas looked miserable.
“I know that now.”
I read the demolition schedule again.
Monday morning.
Less than three days away.
I asked Thomas who had authorized the work.
“Jason's development office submitted the clearance instruction.”
“Did anyone inspect the buildings?”
“Our crew was told the residents had already been relocated.”
Rosa shook her head.
“Nobody has offered us relocation money. Nobody has even spoken to the families.”
I folded the schedule.
“Then no one is clearing those cottages.”
Thomas looked uncertain.
“Mrs. Reed, the contractor has a signed work order.”
“From the company that owns the buildings?”
“From the executive office.”
“That's not the same thing.”
I asked Daniel to send a formal preservation and stop-work notice on behalf of Reed Harbor Hospitality for any activity involving our property.
We would verify the boundaries and authorizations before allowing equipment near the cottages.
I also asked Rosa to tell the residents exactly what we had discovered.
No rumors.
No dramatic promises.
Just the truth.
That afternoon, I gathered the fourteen remaining employees inside Harborlight's old restaurant.
The air conditioner rattled.
Sunlight came through cracked window blinds.
I stood beside a table covered with repair estimates and demolition schedules.
“I owe all of you an apology,” I began.
An older housekeeper named June crossed her arms.
“We've heard apologies before.”
“Then don't judge me by this one. Judge me by what happens next.”
Nobody smiled.
I didn't blame them.
I explained that I hadn't authorized the layoffs or received their letters.
I told them the company was investigating the payments.
Then I made a commitment.
“No demolition will proceed on company property without a verified legal authorization and a plan that protects everyone living here.”
Rosa watched me carefully.
June raised her hand.
“What about our jobs?”
I hesitated.
Because I wasn't going to make a promise I couldn't keep.
“I can't tell you everything will be fixed by Monday. But I can promise that you will see the financial facts and have a voice in what we decide.”
June studied me.
Then she nodded once.
It wasn't forgiveness.
But it was a beginning.
Back at my hotel, I joined a video meeting with Daniel, Elaine, and the independent accountant we'd hired, Tessa Morgan.
Tessa had already started tracing the largest payments.
“There's a consistent pattern,” she said.
“Sable Coast billed Reed Harbor for Harborlight improvements. Then substantial amounts moved to suppliers working at Blue Heron Point.”
“How much?”
“I'm still reconciling the transactions, but the questionable payments total approximately nine-point-seven-six million dollars.”
Daniel added, “We've suspended new payments to Sable Coast pending review.”
Elaine looked exhausted.
“The two-point-one-million-dollar transfer hasn't gone through.”
“Thank you,” I said.
She didn't seem relieved.
“Natalie, I need you to understand something. I believed Jason when he said this financing was keeping the company alive.”
“Did you know about Blue Heron Point?”
“I knew it existed. I believed it was a separate investment that would eventually benefit Harborlight.”
“Did you know company funds were being used there?”
She lowered her eyes.
“I suspected the allocations were wrong.”
The admission hurt.
“You've known me for ten years, Elaine.”
“I know.”
“Why didn't you come to me?”
“Jason kept telling me you wanted to sell the company. He said if the resort failed, you'd take your investment and leave the employees behind.”
I stared at her.
“That isn't true.”
“I understand that now.”
I wanted to be angry.
I was angry.
But I could also see how carefully Jason had divided everyone.
He told the employees I had abandoned them.
He told Elaine I was preparing to abandon the company.
He told Mia our marriage was over.
Different lies.
Same purpose.
Control.
Then Daniel shared a document on the screen.
“I've compared the guarantee attachment with our original board resolution.”
The original resolution authorized limited storm-related financing for Harborlight.
The attachment submitted to the bank included additional language covering obligations associated with neighboring development activities.
The pages were formatted alike.
But the added language had never appeared in our approved board minutes.
Elaine leaned closer to her screen.
“That's not the version I reviewed.”
Daniel nodded.
“Nor the version I approved.”
Tessa spoke quietly.
“We need the bank's complete transaction file to determine who submitted that version.”
I stared at the altered wording.
Jason had not merely misused company funds.
Someone had attempted to transform a legitimate financing approval into authority for an enormous guarantee.
Then Daniel highlighted a line at the bottom.
The document identified the person who certified its accuracy.
Jason Reed, Chief Executive Officer.
Beneath his name was a second certification.
Elaine Price, Chief Financial Officer.
Elaine went completely still.
Then she whispered, “I never saw that version before today.”
May you like
And I realized Jason hadn't only endangered our company.
He'd placed the woman who trusted him most in the financial department directly in the path of the consequences.
