The Ticket in Olivia’s Name
Chapter 08 - The Ticket in Olivia’s Name
Celeste had prepared a second plan.
The ticket, passport copy, and cash were intended to make it appear that Olivia had stolen foundation records and fled the country. A draft press release on Celeste’s tablet accused Olivia of blackmail and claimed Logan had tried to stop her from destroying evidence.
The language was almost identical to the statement issued against Daniel Bennett twelve years earlier.
Olivia read it twice. “They were going to destroy us the same way.”
Henry could not look at her.
Margaret discovered hotel reservations and a scheduled car service under Olivia’s name. Celeste had even arranged for money to be transferred into a temporary account linked to Olivia’s Social Security number.
“This required access to human resources,” Margaret said. “Someone inside the foundation helped them.”
The emergency board meeting began at three in the morning. Six members joined remotely. Two immediately demanded that Henry release Logan and stop the investigation.
Olivia recognized their names from her father’s notes.
Henry asked each member a single question: “Did you authorize payments to North Meridian Consulting?”
Three denied it. One disconnected. Another threatened legal action.
The sixth member, Dr. Evelyn Shaw, remained silent for a long time.
Then she said, “Daniel Bennett showed me the original numbers. Richard told me Daniel had fabricated them. I chose to believe Richard because I was afraid of losing my position.”
“Do you have anything from that time?” Olivia asked.
Dr. Shaw opened a locked drawer and held up an old cassette recorder. Daniel had left her a copy of a meeting in which Richard and Celeste discussed using scholarship accounts to hide transfers. She had kept it for twelve years but never listened again.
Her shame was obvious.
“Send it to Margaret,” Henry said.
Dr. Shaw nodded. “And I resign.”
“No,” Olivia replied. “Stay long enough to testify publicly. Resignation without truth is only another escape.”
The older woman accepted the rebuke.
By sunrise, the board had suspended Logan, Celeste, and four other members. Accounts were frozen. Federal investigators assumed control of the financial records.
Yet one mystery remained. Daniel’s original drive—the one he planned to bring to the boathouse—had never been found.
Mrs. Alvarez remembered that Daniel carried a silver watch on the night he met Eleanor. He told her it had belonged to Olivia’s grandfather.
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Olivia’s heart stopped.
That watch was still in her mother’s jewelry box.
