“You did the right thing today.”
Anthony shook his head.
“I should have spoken sooner.”
“Perhaps.”
Darius paused.
“But you spoke today.”
He looked directly at him.
“That matters.”
When the meeting resumed, Martin Feldman had opened a folder.
He placed several documents on the screen.
“Mr. Whitaker,” he said, “I would like to discuss the financial review.”
Darius nodded.
“Proceed.”
Martin displayed a spreadsheet.
It contained a series of vendor payments from the previous eighteen months.
Most were ordinary.
Food deliveries.
Cleaning supplies.
Furniture rentals.
Maintenance contracts.
Then he highlighted a company named Ellsworth Premier Services.
“Do either of you recognize this vendor?”
Kenneth leaned forward.
“Yes.”
Marianne looked at him.
“Why?”
Kenneth did not answer.
Martin continued.
“Ellsworth Premier Services received eight hundred and twelve thousand dollars from Marlowe Haven Hospitality over an eighteen-month period.”
Marianne frowned.
“What does that have to do with this incident?”
Martin ignored the question.
“The company provided event furniture, linen rentals, temporary staffing, and logistical support.”
Kenneth nodded.
“Those were legitimate services.”
Martin displayed another document.
“According to the corporate registry, the vendor is controlled by a holding company associated with your sister, Mr. Ellsworth.”
Kenneth's face tightened.
“That is not unusual.”
“No,” Martin replied. “Related-party transactions are not automatically improper. They require disclosure, independent approval, and verification of services.”
Kenneth leaned back.
“Everything was approved.”
Martin nodded.
“That is precisely what we're examining.”
He displayed three invoices.
The first listed 180 banquet chairs.
The second listed 180 banquet chairs delivered the following morning.
The third listed 220 banquet chairs.
All three invoices carried different event references.
But the delivery dates overlapped.
Martin enlarged the figures.
“According to the receiving logs, the club accepted 220 chairs in total.”
Kenneth frowned.
“That may be a documentation issue.”
Martin displayed the next page.
“The vendor invoiced for 580.”
Marianne looked at her husband.
“What is this?”
Kenneth's jaw tightened.
“It's an accounting discrepancy.”
Martin continued.
“We have identified similar discrepancies involving tablecloths, staging equipment, and temporary event staffing.”
Naomi spoke.
“The audit committee has not reached a conclusion regarding individual responsibility. However, the pattern requires a formal investigation.”
Marianne turned toward Kenneth.
“You told me the gala expenses were all verified.”
Kenneth did not look at her.
“They were approved through the normal process.”
“By whom?”
He said nothing.
Darius watched the exchange.
He had seen this before.
In organizations where accountability was weak, people often treated approval as proof of legitimacy.
But a signature did not make an invoice truthful.
It merely identified the person who had accepted responsibility for it.
Naomi spoke again.
“Mr. Ellsworth, did you disclose your relationship to the vendor?”
Kenneth rubbed his forehead.
“I would need to review the original filing.”
“Did you?”
“I don't recall.”
Martin displayed another document.
“This is the vendor's ownership record.”
Kenneth looked at it.
His expression changed.
Marianne stared at him.
“Ken?”
He remained silent.
Darius folded his hands.
“Mr. Ellsworth, this meeting is not a trial. You have an opportunity to explain what happened.”
Kenneth looked up.
For the first time, he seemed genuinely frightened.
“I want independent counsel.”
Naomi nodded.
“That is your right.”
Marianne turned toward him.
“What are you doing?”
Kenneth whispered something.
She leaned closer.
“What?”
He repeated it.
“I said I want independent counsel.”
Marianne sat back.
Her expression had changed again.
This time, she was no longer angry with Darius.
She was afraid of her husband.
At 4:45 p.m., the meeting ended.
Marianne and Kenneth were informed that they would be placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.
Their access to company financial systems would be suspended.
All relevant records were to be preserved.
Neither was to contact employees regarding the investigation.
Marianne stood.
“You cannot suspend me because of one misunderstanding.”
Naomi answered calmly.
“The administrative leave is based on the broader review, not solely on today's incident.”
“This is retaliation.”
“Your rights under company policy remain intact.”
Marianne turned toward Darius.
“You're doing this because I didn't recognize you.”
Darius stood.
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because I have spent three months examining this organization. Today, you gave me another reason to examine it more closely.”
She shook her head.
“You have no idea how much I have done for this club.”
Darius looked at her.
“I know how much you believe you have done.”
Then he turned toward Anthony.
“Mr. Brooks, would you please stay for a few minutes?”
Anthony nodded.
Marianne watched him.
Her eyes narrowed.
Darius noticed.
“Mrs. Ellsworth, I would strongly advise you not to contact employees about today's statements.”
“I would never—”
“Then we should have no disagreement.”
Kenneth picked up his phone.
He did not look at his wife.
They left separately.
Anthony remained in the boardroom.