Chapter 7 - THE MAN INSIDE THE FOUNDATION
The Pierce Children’s Foundation funded heart surgeries for children whose families could not afford treatment.
Nathan established it after his first major surgical success.
He trusted only six people with complete financial access.
One of them was Dr. Malcolm Voss.
Malcolm had mentored Nathan during residency.
He later became the foundation’s medical director.
He was respected, generous in public, and close enough to Nathan to know every security procedure.
Nathan called an emergency audit.
The first review uncovered four million dollars in suspicious payments.
The funds had been sent to clinics that existed only on paper.
Each clinic had been approved by Malcolm.
Nathan remembered Malcolm urging him to stop pursuing Sarah.
“She chose her husband,” Malcolm had said.
“You cannot save someone who refuses to be saved.”
At the time, the advice sounded wise.
Now it sounded rehearsed.
Deputy Mercer obtained a warrant for Malcolm’s home and office.
The doctor was gone.
His computer had been wiped.
His vehicle was found at the airport.
No commercial flight records showed him leaving.
Marcus and Malcolm were both missing.
Sarah listened while Nathan explained the theft.
“Marcus said the foundation belonged to us,” she said.
“To whom?”
“To him and the doctor.”
“He said you were too arrogant to notice money disappearing.”
Nathan felt the accusation because it was partly true.
He focused on surgery and fundraising.
He trusted reports prepared by people he admired.
“How did the bracelet fit into this?” he asked.
Sarah looked at the evidence bag on the bedside table.
“Mom’s bracelet was the only thing Marcus never took.”
“I hid the first message inside it after Lily was born.”
“The clasp remained empty for years because I was afraid.”
“What made you use it now?”
“I heard Marcus speaking to Malcolm.”
“They planned to cause a scandal at the foundation gala.”
“What kind of scandal?”
“They were going to transfer the remaining money and make it appear that you approved it.”
“Then Malcolm would report you.”
Sarah nodded.
“Marcus believed you would lose your license and your house.”
“He said he would finally make you as powerless as he made me.”
Nathan looked toward Lily’s room.
“How did you find my address?”
“Rosa sent me a Christmas card five years ago.”
Nathan turned.
“Rosa?”
“She mailed it through a friend because she thought Marcus monitored the house.”
“The card contained a photograph of the estate.”
“I taught Lily to recognize it.”
Nathan had believed Rosa knew nothing.
She had quietly maintained the only thread between them.
Sarah continued.
“I wrote the address on paper when Marcus began threatening the twins.”
“I made Lily memorize the route from the road.”
“You expected this.”
“I feared it.”
A nurse entered to check Sarah’s medication.
After she left, Sarah lowered her voice.
“The black ledger will prove everything.”
“The cabin is six hours away.”
“Marcus knows about it.”
“Then the police will reach it first.”
Sarah shook her head.
“He knows the location.”
“But he does not know where Mom taught us to keep promises.”
Nathan remembered the apple tree.
May you like
The cedar box buried beneath its roots.
The place where two frightened children once promised never to abandon each other.
