Chapter 5: The Call From Chicago
I picked Lily up from the hospital follow-up appointment at noon.
She walked out holding a stuffed rabbit the nurse had given her, her left arm still in the soft brace, her right hand in mine.
In the car, she was quiet for a long time.
Then she said, "Daddy, is Mommy in trouble?"
I kept my eyes on the road.
"Why do you ask that?"
"Because she called me this morning.
On my tablet." Lily looked down at the rabbit.
"She said I shouldn't tell you things.
That it would make everything worse."
My hands tightened on the wheel once, then relaxed deliberately.
"Lily," I said carefully.
"You can always tell me things.
That will never make anything worse.
Do you understand?"
She nodded.
She didn't look entirely sure.
"She said she was sorry about my back," Lily added.
"But she said it in a weird way.
Like she was sorry I told you.
Not sorry it hurt."
I pulled into our driveway and sat for a moment with the engine off.
"You did the right thing calling me last night," I said.
"You protected your brother.
That was very brave."
Lily looked at me.
"Will Noah be okay?"
"Noah is perfect," I said.
"He's inside right now with Mrs.
Calloway." I had called our neighbor at 7 a.m.
and she had arrived with a casserole dish and no questions.
"Come on.
Let's go see him."
After I got both children settled and Mrs.
Calloway set up at the kitchen table with Noah, I went to my home office and closed the door.
I pulled out Sandra's business card and dialed the 312 number.
It rang twice.
A man answered.
His voice was careful, measured, the voice of someone who had rehearsed what he was going to say.
"Mr.
Hartwell.
My name is Kevin Marsh.
I'm a compliance officer at Alderman Financial.
I've been trying to reach you."
I sat down slowly.
"How did you get my number?"
"Claire listed you as an emergency contact in her employee file.
I know that's irregular.
I want to be transparent about that." A pause.
"I've been building an internal case against Marcus Vale for the last four months.
Unauthorized client fund transfers.
He's been moving money through a series of holding companies.
Valebridge Properties is one of them."
The room was very quiet.
"How many holding companies?" I asked.
"Seven that we've confirmed.
Possibly more." Another pause.
"Mr.
Hartwell, your wife's signature appears on three separate transfer authorizations.
I don't know if she understood what she was signing.
I don't know if she was coerced.
That's not my determination to make.
But I thought you deserved to know before this goes to the SEC and the FBI, which it will.
Probably within the next two weeks."
I looked at the wall across from my desk.
There was a drawing Lily had made last year, taped above the printer.
A house with four stick figures in front of it.
She had labeled them: Daddy, Mommy, Lily, Baby.
"Are you recording this call?" I asked.
"No," Kevin said.
"This is personal, not official.
Officially, I've never spoken to you."
"I have an attorney.
Her name is Sandra Okafor.
I'd like you to speak with her directly."
A long pause.
"I can do that.
Yes."
"I'll have her contact you today." I picked up a pen.
"Mr.
Marsh.
The envelope.
Diane — Claire's mother — picked up a white envelope from my kitchen counter last night.
On camera.
She said Claire had already signed it.
Was there anything beyond the quit-claim deed?"
Kevin was quiet for four full seconds.
"There was a second document," he said.
"A beneficiary change form.
For a life insurance policy.
Two-point-four million dollars.
The new beneficiary is Valebridge Properties."
I set the pen down.
"When was it filed?" I asked.
"Three days ago," Kevin said.
"It cleared processing yesterday morning."
I thanked him.
I ended the call.
I sat in my office for sixty seconds without moving.
Then I picked the phone back up and called Sandra.
She answered on the first ring.
May you like
"We have a problem," I said.
"And it's bigger than the house."
