CHAPTER 6 — The Wedding That Uncovered a Crime
CHAPTER 6 — The Wedding That Uncovered a Crime
For a moment, I thought Detective Carla Jennings had mistaken me for someone else.
"My family's charitable foundation?"
She nodded.
"The Carter Children's Foundation."
My pulse quickened.
My grandmother had established it twenty-five years earlier after losing her younger brother to childhood leukemia. Every year, the foundation funded scholarships, paid medical bills, and helped foster families throughout the state.
I had served on its board for the last three years.
Maverick had never been a board member.
But he had volunteered to "modernize" its financial systems after we got engaged.
He had insisted he was only trying to help.
Detective Jennings opened a leather folder.
"Three weeks ago, one of your auditors reported irregular transfers."
She slid several documents across the table.
"Small amounts."
"$8,000."
"$12,500."
"$19,000."
"Nothing large enough to trigger immediate concern."
I studied the records.
The transfers had all been approved using my digital authorization.
"I never signed these."
"We know."
She pointed to the electronic signature.
"It was copied."
A cold realization settled over me.
"Maverick had access to my laptop."
"So did Penelope."
The detective nodded.
"We've already confirmed both of them logged into the foundation's accounting portal from the same IP address several times."
My stomach twisted.
The affair had hidden something much larger.
Money.
Months of careful theft disguised as ordinary bookkeeping.
"How much?" I whispered.
Detective Jennings hesitated.
"We estimate just under four hundred thousand dollars."
The room spun.
Nearly half a million dollars meant for sick children.
For families already struggling.
For people who would never know why promised grants had suddenly disappeared.
I covered my mouth.
"They stole from children."
"They appear to have used shell companies and fake consulting invoices."
She looked at me carefully.
"But we believe today's events interrupted whatever they were planning next."
I remembered the second prenuptial agreement.
The lake house.
The airline tickets.
"They were going to disappear."
"That's our working theory."
Before I could respond, Detective Jennings received a phone call.
She listened for less than thirty seconds before looking back at me.
"They've left the hotel."
My heart pounded.
"Together?"
"Yes."
She closed her notebook.
"But they won't get far."
An hour later my phone rang.
It was Eleanor Bennett.
Her voice was shaking.
"They're gone."
"What do you mean?"
"They emptied Maverick's apartment."
"His passport is missing."
"So is Penelope."
She began crying.
"I didn't know my son anymore."
I looked out the hotel window as police vehicles pulled into the parking lot below.
"They're running."
Detective Jennings stood beside me.
"No."
She watched the flashing lights.
"They're panicking."
"There is a difference."
At 9:40 that evening, the first news alert appeared.
LOCAL BUSINESSMAN WANTED FOR FINANCIAL FRAUD AFTER WEDDING DAY DISAPPEARANCE
By midnight, every local television station carried the story.
Not about a runaway groom.
About missing charitable funds.
About forged signatures.
About an investigation that had begun long before anyone opened the door to Room 237.
The wedding had simply exposed everything at once.
For the first time that day, I realized something strange.
If Maverick had shown up on time...
If we had exchanged vows...
If I had gone on the honeymoon...
I might have become legally tied to a man who was preparing to flee with stolen money.
May you like
The thought sent a chill through me.
Perhaps the worst day of my life had also saved it.
