“Her office submitted purchase requests for several events. In some cases, the requested quantities exceeded the actual event requirements.”
“Was she aware?”
“We have not established that conclusively.”
Naomi spoke.
“There is evidence that she participated in discussions about increasing event budgets.”
Darius looked at the screen.
“Show me.”
Martin displayed an email.
It had been sent eleven months earlier.
The subject line read:
Winter Gala — Additional Requirements
The sender was Marianne Ellsworth.
The recipient was Kenneth Ellsworth.
The message read:
The gala needs to feel more substantial this year. We cannot have the event look smaller than the previous season. Please make sure the additional vendor arrangements are handled discreetly. I don't want the committee questioning every minor expense.
Darius read it twice.
Naomi looked at him.
“It's not conclusive by itself.”
“No,” he said.
“But it's relevant.”
“Yes.”
Martin opened another message.
This one was from Kenneth.
The vendor can accommodate the additional charges. Keep the paperwork within the approved event categories.
Darius looked toward Naomi.
“Do we have the underlying invoices?”
“Yes.”
“Delivery records?”
“Yes.”
“Receiving signatures?”
“Yes.”
“Then I want every discrepancy documented.”
Martin nodded.
The next issue involved employee complaints.
Naomi displayed a list.
Thirty-one complaints.
Twenty-three closed without independent investigation.
Eleven involved Marianne's office.
Seven involved Kenneth's office.
Four involved both.
Darius studied the names.
He recognized Miguel Alvarez.
He recognized Sofia Ramirez.
He recognized Anthony Brooks.
Then he saw another name.
Derek Moore.
“Who is he?”
“Former temporary event supervisor,” Naomi said. “He signed several receiving sheets.”
“Where is he now?”
“Working for a catering company in Skokie.”
“Contact him.”
Naomi nodded.
Martin opened another file.
“This is an internal message from Marianne's office.”
The message had been sent to Peter Lyle.
Please ensure the staff member who raised the delivery concern is removed from the gala assignment. His attitude is becoming disruptive.
Darius looked at Peter's name.
“Did Peter approve the removal?”
“Yes.”
“Did anyone investigate the delivery concern?”
“No.”
Darius closed the document.
“What happened to the employee?”
“He was reassigned and later left.”
Darius leaned back.
“That's the culture.”
Nobody spoke.
He continued.
“People raised questions. Management treated the questions as the problem. The financial discrepancies remained untouched.”
Naomi nodded.
“That's our current assessment.”
Darius looked at the screen.
“Find out how far it goes.”
Two days later, Anthony Brooks received a phone call from Naomi Bell.
“Mr. Brooks, we would like to arrange a formal interview.”
Anthony was standing in his kitchen.
His wife, Denise, was preparing dinner.
He glanced toward her.
“Is something wrong?”
“No. We simply want to document your experience more thoroughly.”
“About Mrs. Ellsworth?”
“About your experience at Harbor Ridge generally.”
Anthony hesitated.
“All right.”
Naomi continued.
“We can arrange the interview at a neutral location. You will receive written protection against retaliation.”
Anthony looked at Denise.
She nodded.
He gave Naomi a time.
After the call ended, Denise placed a plate on the table.
“What did they want?”
“Another interview.”
She looked at him.
“Are you going to tell them everything?”
Anthony sat down.
“I don't know.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don't know what happens after.”
Denise pulled out the chair opposite him.
“Anthony, you've spent eleven years worrying about what happens after.”
He looked at her.
She continued.
“Remember when Miguel lost his job?”
Anthony nodded.
“You told me what happened. You said you wished somebody had helped him.”
“I know.”
“And now somebody is asking you what happened.”
Anthony looked down.
“It's different when it's your own job.”
Denise reached across the table.
“I know.”
She squeezed his hand.
“But you have to decide whether you want Jordan to believe that doing the right thing is only worth doing when it's safe.”
Anthony looked toward the hallway.
His son's textbooks were stacked near the door.
He thought about Jordan's future.
Then he nodded.
“I'll tell them.”
The interview took place in a small conference room at a neutral office building.
Naomi attended with James Holloway.
Anthony sat across from them.
He had brought a notebook.
At first, he spoke carefully.
He described his duties.
His schedule.
His responsibilities in the valet area.
Then Naomi asked about employee treatment.
Anthony's answers became more detailed.
He described members who refused to acknowledge staff.
Managers who changed schedules as punishment.
The use of preferred seating arrangements to reward certain employees.
The pressure placed on workers to report unfamiliar guests.
Then he described Marianne.
“She never needed to shout,” he said.
Naomi looked up.
“What do you mean?”
“She could make you feel small without raising her voice.”
“Can you give an example?”
Anthony nodded.
“One afternoon, a family arrived for lunch. The father was wearing work boots. His daughter had a school sweatshirt. They were guests of a member.”