Chapter 9 - The Audit
Claire came home that night and I told her everything — the bank statement, the missing money, the separation threat. She sat at the kitchen table, her face pale.
"Forty thousand dollars," she said. "Dan, if Diane presses charges —"
"I know."
"Richard could go to jail. And if he goes to jail — Dan, he worked at Voss & Palmer for twenty-eight years. Every deal I've ever done has his name on it. If he's convicted of embezzlement, every deal he touched gets questioned. My reputation —"
"I know," I said again. I took her hand. "Claire, what do you want to do?"
She looked at me. "What do you mean?"
"I mean — I can fire him tomorrow. Probation period, no questions asked. Or I can keep him. Or I can help him. What do you want?"
She was quiet for a long time. The kids were asleep upstairs. The house was quiet.
"I don't want him to go to jail," she said finally. "What he did — borrowing money without documentation — it's stupid, it's wrong, but it's not violent. He's not a criminal. He's a man who made a bad decision when his mother-in-law was dying. And Dan — if he goes down, he'll take people with him. He'll name names. He'll say everyone knew. He'll — he'll say I knew."
"Did you know?"
She looked away. "I suspected. Two years ago, there was a weird expense report. I asked about it. Richard told me it was a 'partner-level issue' and to drop it. I dropped it. Dan, I was a junior employee. I couldn't —"
"Hey." I squeezed her hand. "I'm not accusing you. I'm asking what you want."
She took a breath. "I want you to help him. Not because he deserves it. But because if he goes down, he takes my career with him. And I've worked too hard for that."
I nodded. "OK. Then I'll help him. But on my terms."
The next morning, I called Diane Palmer. I'd never met her, but I knew her by reputation — sharp, fair, no patience for nonsense. She answered on the second ring.
"Diane, Dan Cole. Cole & Associates."
"Dan Cole." She paused. "I've heard of you. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Richard Voss works for me now. I understand you've found a discrepancy in the old accounts."
She was quiet. Then: "You know about that."
"I do. And I want to propose something. Richard will repay the full forty thousand — with interest — by the end of the month. In exchange, you close the audit. No charges. No referral to the DA. You and I both know this was a stupid, sloppy mistake, not a criminal conspiracy. Dragging it through court helps no one — least of all your firm's reputation."
Diane was quiet for a long time. "Forty thousand with interest. By the end of the month."
"Yes."
"And if he doesn't pay?"
"Then I'll fire him, and you can do whatever you want. I'll even testify that I offered him this deal and he refused."
She laughed — a dry, sharp laugh. "You're a hard man, Dan Cole. All right. End of the month. Forty thousand plus interest. I'll have my lawyer draw up the settlement. But if he misses a dime, I'm going to the DA. And I'm naming you as co-conspirator for harboring him."
"Fair enough," I said. I hung up.
I called Richard into my office. I told him the deal. He stared at me.
"You — you called Diane. You negotiated. For me."
"I did. Forty thousand plus interest, end of the month. You've got three weeks. Find the money. Sell the boat. Borrow from your brother. I don't care. But if you don't pay, I fire you, and Diane goes to the DA. And I will not lift a finger to help you again. Do we understand each other?"
He nodded. His eyes were wet. "Dan — I don't know how to —"
"Don't thank me," I said. "Thank Claire. She's the reason you're not on the street."
He left. I sat back and looked out the window. I felt — nothing. Not triumph. Not satisfaction. Just a quiet, heavy tiredness. I'd done the right thing, I thought. But I wasn't sure the right thing was going to be enough.
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