Chapter 4 - The Man in the CapThe face belonged to Preston Vale.
Brooks's business partner.
Best friend.
Best man at his wedding.
The man who had introduced Brooks to Serena.
Nobody spoke when Marcus froze the image.
Preston looked directly toward the service camera while adjusting his jacket.
Same dark coat he had worn at dinner earlier.
Brooks stared.
“He told me he left at six-thirty.”
Vivian laughed without humor.
“He didn't.”
Serena stood completely still.
That was enough.
Brooks looked at her.
“You knew he was here.”
“No.”
“Serena.”
“I didn't.”
“You didn't even ask who it was.”
She opened her mouth.
Too late.
Everyone had heard the omission.
Eleanor sat slowly.
Edwin watched Serena with a sadness that somehow seemed to anger her more than accusation.
Brooks called Preston.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
He texted:
Come back to the house. Now.
Nothing.
Marcus pulled more footage.
At 5:54 p.m., Serena and Preston spoke near the garden doors.
No audio.
At 6:02, Preston left through the main entrance.
At 6:34, he returned through the service gate.
At 6:56, he entered the security room.
At 7:04, he exited.
Serena screamed at 7:06.
The timing was devastating.
Brooks turned toward his wife.
“You want to try again?”
Serena's tears stopped.
Maybe she realized they no longer helped.
“Preston said he needed to check something.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“He used your key.”
“I didn't give it to him.”
“Then how?”
“I don't know!”
Brooks slammed the trust copy onto the table.
“Stop saying that.”
Serena stared.
He continued.
“You know the camera was off.”
“You know Dad's trust.”
“You knew Preston was here.”
“You went into the room where Edwin was.”
“Then you screamed.”
“Tell me one true thing.”
Serena looked at him.
Something inside her face broke.
“I was afraid you were going to leave me.”
Brooks stared.
“Why?”
“Because Preston said you were asking about the trust.”
Vivian turned.
“Preston said?”
Serena realized.
Too late again.
Brooks's voice became quiet.
“Why is Preston discussing my marriage with you?”
“He's your friend.”
“Not what I asked.”
Serena looked away.
Eleanor's expression hardened.
The room became colder.
Brooks asked,
“How often do you speak to him privately?”
Serena whispered,
“I don't know.”
“That means often.”
“No.”
Edwin finally stepped in.
“Mr. Caldwell.”
Brooks turned.
Edwin held out a small black folder.
“I believe this needs to be handled by authorities.”
Serena went pale.
“What is that?”
Edwin looked directly at her.
“The reason I was in the sitting room.”
Brooks took it.
Inside were bank statements.
Caldwell Holdings.
Three subsidiaries.
Transfers.
Brooks frowned.
“What am I looking at?”
Edwin pointed.
Payments to a consulting company.
Silvercrest Advisory.
$220,000.
$310,000.
$185,000.
Over eighteen months.
Total nearly $2.4 million.
“I don't know Silvercrest.”
Edwin said,
“Neither does your accounting department.”
“How is that possible?”
“The payments were approved through executive override.”
Brooks's stomach tightened.
“Whose?”
Edwin pointed.
Preston Vale.
Brooks stopped breathing.
Preston was chief strategy officer.
He had override authority on certain acquisition expenses.
But finance still should have noticed.
Edwin continued.
“Your father taught me to review strange vendor patterns. I found this yesterday while preparing archival documents for the annual audit.”
Vivian asked,
“Who owns Silvercrest?”
Edwin looked at Serena.
She understood before he said it.
“Serena's brother.”
Brooks turned slowly.
“Caleb?”
Serena shook her head.
“No.”
Edwin handed him corporate registration.
Silvercrest Advisory LLC.
Registered agent:
Caleb Monroe.
Serena's older brother.
Brooks whispered,
“What is this?”
Serena backed toward the sofa.
“I don't know.”
Brooks laughed once.
Again.
“I don't know.”
She shouted,
“I DON'T!”
Vivian said,
“Then your brother somehow received two million dollars from Brooks's company through Brooks's best friend, while you just happened to frame the man who found it?”
Serena covered her face.
Eleanor looked at Brooks.
“Call the police.”
Serena snapped,
“No!”
Everyone turned.
She lowered her voice.
“I mean…”
Too late.
Brooks pulled out his phone.
Serena grabbed his wrist.
“Please.”
He looked at her hand.
She released him.
“Brooks, if you call the police before you understand, everything becomes public.”
He stared.
“That sentence sounds like you understand more than you're admitting.”
Serena's eyes filled.
“Your company could collapse.”
“Why?”
Silence.
“Serena.”
“Because Silvercrest wasn't only Preston.”
Brooks froze.
“What?”
She swallowed.
“There were other companies.”
“How many?”
She looked toward Edwin.
“Five.”
Edwin's face changed.
He had found one.
Serena knew there were five.
Brooks felt the room tilt.
“How do you know?”
Serena whispered,
“Because Preston showed me.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That your father had hidden money.”
Eleanor stood sharply.
“Arthur?”
Serena nodded.
“That the transfers were recovering assets your father stole from people.”
Edwin shook his head.
“No.”
Serena looked at him.
“You don't know everything.”
Edwin answered,
“I know enough.”
Brooks asked,
“What did Preston want from you?”
Serena hesitated.
Then:
“The original trust.”
“Why?”
“He said it proves your father took control of shares that never belonged to him.”
Vivian stared.
“Whose shares?”
Serena looked at Brooks.
“Preston's father's.”
Silence.
Brooks frowned.
Preston's father, Malcolm Vale, had worked with Arthur Caldwell decades ago.
Brooks knew that.
What he didn't know was what Serena said next.
“Preston believes your father stole half the company from his family.”
Eleanor whispered,
“That isn't what happened.”
Brooks turned.
Again.
His mother knew.
He was tired of discovering everyone else had pages missing from his life.
“What happened?”
Eleanor stared at the floor.
Before she answered, Brooks's phone rang.
Preston.
Brooks answered.
“Where are you?”
Preston's voice was calm.
“Don't call police.”
Brooks looked at Serena.
“You're not in a position to make requests.”
“I think I am.”
“What did you do?”
“Ask Edwin what was inside Arthur's red ledger.”
Edwin went still.
Preston laughed softly.
“There. He remembers.”
Brooks looked at Edwin.
“What ledger?”
Preston continued.
“If that book becomes public, Brooks, your father won't be remembered as a businessman.”
Pause.
“He'll be remembered as a thief.”
May you like
Then the line went dead.
And Edwin, the man who had been calm through every accusation, finally looked afraid.
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