CHAPTER 5 – The Missing Millions
By sunrise the next morning...
Emma's dance had become the biggest story in America.
Television crews surrounded the school.
Hashtags flooded social media.
Millions of strangers called Emma "America's Little Princess."
But behind the scenes...
Something darker was unfolding.
Claire received a phone call from a federal investigator.
"Mrs. Dawson..."
"We need to speak with you immediately."
She arrived at the federal building carrying Ethan's notebook.
Inside the conference room sat investigators...
Daniel...
Richard...
and several accountants.
Stacks of financial records covered the table.
One investigator slid a folder toward Claire.
"For seven years..."
"Donations were collected in Ethan Dawson's name after his death."
Claire frowned.
"I never received anything."
"Exactly."
The investigator nodded.
"Over six million dollars disappeared."
The room became painfully quiet.
Richard stared at the documents.
His face turned white.
"My foundation approved every payment..."
"But I never saw these transfers."
The investigator looked directly at him.
"Because someone forged your signature."
Daniel suddenly remembered something.
"Ethan warned me."
Everyone looked at him.
"He once said if anything ever happened to him..."
"...never trust the foundation's executive director."
"His name is Victor Hale."
The investigator immediately opened another file.
Victor Hale.
Richard's most trusted employee.
His right-hand man for fifteen years.
The man who had publicly praised Ethan at every charity gala.
And secretly stolen from his legacy.
Richard slammed both hands onto the table.
"I trusted him."
Daniel quietly answered,
"So did Ethan."
At that exact moment...
Victor was already boarding a private jet.
Leaving the country.
Or so he thought.
Because sitting three rows behind him...
Wearing jeans and a baseball cap...
was someone Victor didn't recognize.
May you like
An undercover federal marshal.
The trap had already closed.
