Chapter 7 - The Debt
We didn't call the police immediately.
Instead, we called Daniel.
He arrived within an hour.
When he saw Lauren, he stopped.
"You told them about Victor?"
Lauren nodded.
Daniel closed the door.
"Then we're out of time."
Jared looked at him.
"Who is Victor?"
Daniel sat down.
"Victor Sloan."
I recognized the name.
"Private lender?"
Daniel nodded.
"He's more than that."
"Explain."
"Victor specializes in distressed businesses."
Jared frowned.
"Mine?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Five years ago."
Jared stared at Lauren.
"You borrowed money from him?"
She shook her head.
"I borrowed money to keep the company alive."
Jared looked stunned.
"How much?"
"Two million."
"You told me the company had no debt."
"I know."
"Where did the money go?"
"Payroll. Vendors. Taxes."
I interrupted.
"And your father's money?"
Lauren looked at me.
"Some of it."
"How much?"
"About $600,000."
Jared closed his eyes.
I remained calm.
"Then the trust money wasn't stolen for luxury."
"No."
"It was used to cover business debts."
Lauren nodded.
"Until Victor demanded repayment."
"And then?"
"I couldn't pay."
"That's when you began forging documents?"
She looked down.
"Yes."
Jared's voice was barely audible.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I knew you'd leave me."
He stared at her.
"I would have helped you."
"You would've hated me."
"I hate what you did."
She started crying.
Jared looked away.
Daniel opened his laptop.
"There is something else."
"What?"
"Victor doesn't just want the money."
"What does he want?"
"Jared's company."
Silence.
"Why?"
"Because your company's current valuation is much higher than the debt."
I understood immediately.
"This was never just about repayment."
Daniel shook his head.
"Victor has been positioning himself to take control."
Jared stood.
"How?"
"Through shell companies."
"Which ones?"
Daniel turned the laptop around.
I saw several names.
One of them was familiar.
Northstar Consulting.
I stared at it.
"So Northstar wasn't an investment company."
"No."
"It was Victor's company."
Daniel nodded.
"And Lauren transferred money into it."
"Yes."
I looked at Lauren.
"How much?"
She whispered:
"About $430,000."
Jared stared at her.
"Where is the rest?"
Lauren shook her head.
"I don't know."
Daniel looked worried.
"What?"
"I think Victor moved it."
"Where?"
"Offshore."
Jared stood.
"Can we recover it?"
"Maybe."
"How?"
Daniel looked at me.
"With evidence."
I smiled faintly.
"Then let's collect evidence."
That afternoon, we went to Victor Sloan's office.
He wasn't there.
But his assistant was.
She looked terrified when she saw us.
"Mr. Blake?"
"Yes."
"I was told not to speak to you."
"By Victor?"
She nodded.
"Then you should probably speak to us before he speaks for you."
She swallowed.
"What do you want?"
I placed a copy of the forged power of attorney on her desk.
"We want the truth."
She looked at it.
Then whispered:
"Victor has copies."
"Of this?"
"Everything."
"Where?"
She hesitated.
"In a private storage facility."
"Which one?"
She shook her head.
"I can't."
Jared leaned forward.
"You're not the person we're angry with."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I'm scared."
I nodded.
"So am I."
She looked surprised.
I continued.
"But fear doesn't change facts."
She finally whispered the address.
We left.
As we walked toward the elevator, Jared looked at me.
"Dad."
"What?"
"How did you stay calm?"
I looked at him.
"Because panic is expensive."
He almost smiled.
Then my phone rang.
It was Eleanor Grant.
Her voice was urgent.
"Mr. Blake, I found something."
"What?"
"The original power of attorney."
"Where?"
"In my archived files."
"Is it signed?"
"Yes."
"By whom?"
She paused.
May you like
Then said:
"Lauren Blake."
