Dr. Carter agreed.
She also informed the board that the investigation had identified a pattern of complaints concerning several households, including some that had not previously been included in the formal review.
The next morning, the HOA board received an official notice.
The notice stated that, pending the conclusion of the financial and procedural reviews, Harold Bennett would be temporarily restricted from making unilateral administrative decisions. All complaint records and contractor payments would require review by at least two authorized board members.
Harold was furious.
He called an emergency board meeting and demanded that the restriction be reversed.
But when the meeting began, Elaine Foster made a motion to keep the temporary safeguards in place.
Michael Evans, who had recently been elected as a resident representative, seconded it.
The motion passed.
Harold looked around the table in disbelief.
“You are all making a mistake,” he said.
Elaine answered calmly.
“We are trying to prevent more mistakes.”
Thomas sat quietly.
For once, he did not defend Harold.
Outside the meeting room, residents were beginning to understand that the situation had moved beyond one neighbor's complaint. The association itself was being forced to examine how it had used its authority.
And then, just as Dr. Carter was preparing to announce the next stage of the investigation, the independent accountant called with a discovery.
The $8,500 transfer was not the only unexplained payment.
There had been another transfer.
This one was made directly to a personal bank account.
The account belonged to someone who had never been listed as a contractor, consultant, or employee of the HOA.
When Dr. Carter heard the name, she immediately asked the accountant to verify it.
The accountant repeated it.
Dr. Carter slowly closed her eyes.
Because the account belonged to Harold Bennett's wife.
And the payment had been made just three days before the board approved the landscaping project.
For several seconds after hearing the accountant identify the account holder, Dr. Evelyn Carter said nothing.
She looked at the transaction record again, checking the account number, the date, and the amount.
The payment was $6,000.
It had been transferred from an account belonging to Greene Property Solutions into the personal bank account of Margaret Bennett, Harold Bennett's wife.
The date was significant. Three days later, the HOA board had approved the landscaping project and authorized the contractor to begin work.
“Are you certain the account belongs to Margaret Bennett?” Dr. Carter asked.
“Yes,” the accountant replied. “The banking information matches the records we were able to obtain. We are still examining the purpose of the transfer.”
“Was it reported anywhere in the association's financial statements?”
“No. We haven't found any disclosure of it.”
Dr. Carter leaned back in her chair.
“Then I need you to preserve every record connected to this transaction. I also want the payment traced as far as the available records allow. We must establish whether this was a legitimate personal transaction or something connected to the HOA project.”
After ending the call, she contacted Robert Williams.
“Robert, I need to tell you something important. The financial review has uncovered another payment.”
“Another contractor payment?”
“Not exactly. Six thousand dollars was transferred into Harold Bennett's wife's personal account shortly before the landscaping contract was approved.”
Robert went silent.
“Do we know why?”
“Not yet. We need to be careful. The transaction is suspicious, but we haven't established its purpose.”
“Does Harold know you've found it?”
“I haven't contacted him.”
Robert stood and walked to his office window.
“If this money was connected to the contract, the board may have a serious conflict-of-interest problem.”
“I agree. But I want the accounting firm to complete its initial examination before we make any public statement.”
Robert promised to keep the information confidential until the evidence was properly reviewed.
Yet the discovery changed the way he looked at everything that had happened in Willow Creek.
The complaints against the Harrison family, the scrutiny directed toward Marcus, the mysterious contractor payments, and the resistance to independent oversight might not have been separate problems after all.
There could be a common thread.
And that thread led directly to Harold Bennett.
That afternoon, Harold received a request for an interview from Dr. Carter.
The letter did not mention the $6,000 transfer. It simply stated that the investigation had identified financial transactions requiring clarification and that he was being asked to provide information concerning the landscaping project.
Harold read the letter at his kitchen table.
Margaret noticed his expression.
“What is it?”
“More questions from the investigator.”
“About the landscaping?”
He nodded.
Margaret placed her cup down.
“Harold, you need to tell them what happened.”