Chapter 4 - THE FROZEN ASSETS
At 8:00 AM the following morning, the sun broke over the horizon, casting brilliant golden rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my master bedroom.
Thanks to Dr. Hayes's round-the-clock medical care, my fever had completely broken. I sat up in bed wearing a comfortable cashmere robe, sipping warm lemon tea while Marcus Vance laid out three thick binders on the mahogany breakfast tray across my lap.
"They spent the night at the Economy Inn off Highway 9," Marcus reported, a subtle, cold smirk touching his lips. "It appears Ethan’s personal credit cards were declined at the Hilton downtown."
"Why were they declined?" I asked, taking a quiet sip of tea.
"Because at 11:00 PM last night, Aegis Capital filed an emergency freeze on all joint financial accounts pending judicial review of corporate embezzlement," Marcus explained, pointing to a certified court order on the top binder. "Ethan tried to use his corporate card to book a luxury suite and buy a bottle of vintage champagne. The transaction failed, and the hotel manager threatened to call the police if they didn't vacate the lobby."
I leaned back against the plush pillows. "What about Denise?"
"Denise tried to check into the Grand Hyatt using a secondary card," Marcus chuckled softly. "That card was linked to the household account you closed at six o'clock yesterday evening. She ended up screaming at the night clerk until security escorted her to the curb. They ended up sleeping in Ethan’s sedan in the parking lot of a two-star motel."
Before I could answer, Marcus’s phone chimed. He glanced at the caller ID and held up a finger. "It's Richard Sterling... Ethan's financial manager at The Velvet Apron."
Marcus tapped the speaker button. "Marcus Vance speaking."
"Mr. Vance!" Richard’s frantic voice exploded through the phone speaker. "What the hell is going on?! The bank just locked our payroll accounts! Our food suppliers are refusing to deliver today's shipment of fresh meat and produce because the corporate credit line was revoked! We have a hundred and fifty dinner reservations booked for tonight!"
I leaned forward toward the phone. "Hello, Richard."
A heavy, stunned silence fell over the line. "Claire...? Is that you? Why are you on Mr. Vance's phone?"
"Because Mr. Vance represents the entity that owns ninety-eight percent of The Velvet Apron," I said cleanly. "Richard, I suggest you listen to me very carefully. As of ten minutes ago, Ethan Montgomery has been officially removed from his position as Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the restaurant."
"Removed?!" Richard gasped. "Claire, he built this brand! He's the face of the restaurant!"
"He is the face of a sinking ship," I replied smoothly. "Richard, you have a choice right now. You can either cooperate fully with our forensic accounting team, open all offline ledgers, and provide sworn affidavits regarding Ethan’s unauthorized withdrawals... or you can be named as a co-conspirator in a federal embezzlement lawsuit."
There was a long, shaky breath on the other end of the line. Richard wasn't a bad man; he was simply a corporate accountant who had turned a blind eye to Ethan's reckless spending because Ethan was his boss.
"What... what do you need me to do, Claire?" Richard asked, his voice trembling with surrender.
"Audit every check Ethan signed over the last twenty-four months," I commanded. "Every 'business dinner' that was actually a vacation with his mother, every 'consulting fee' paid to Denise's shell company, and every cash withdrawal from the petty fund. Have the report on my desk by noon."
"Understood," Richard whispered. "I'll lock his office right now before he arrives."
"He won't be arriving," Marcus added cold-heartedly. "A private security team is currently posted at the front doors of The Velvet Apron. If Ethan Montgomery attempts to step foot on the property, he will be detained for criminal trespass."
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Marcus disconnected the call and turned to me, his sharp eyes gleaming with professional satisfaction. "The trap is closed, Claire. He has no money, no credit, no house, and no restaurant."
"Not yet," I said, looking out the window at the pristine garden. "He still has his pride. And that is what I am going to break next."
