Chapter 7 - THE MONEY TRAIL Daniel Mercer, a forensic accountant, spent six days tracing transfers.
On the seventh morning, he walked into the cabin carrying a laptop.
“I found the money.”
Mateo looked up.
“How much?”
“Two point one million dollars.”
Clara's stomach dropped.
“To whom?”
“Carlo's development company.”
Mateo stared at the screen.
Carlo had always complained about cash flow.
He had blamed market conditions.
Construction delays.
Regulations.
Bad partners.
But the money had come from family-controlled accounts.
Daniel continued.
“The first transfer was four hundred eighty thousand.”
“When?”
“The night Luca was born.”
Mateo went still.
The room seemed suddenly colder.
Daniel clicked another file.
“The transaction was approved using your credentials.”
Mateo stood.
“I was at the hospital.”
“I know.”
“Then someone used my authorization.”
Daniel nodded.
“Exactly.”
Clara looked at Mateo.
“Carlo.”
Mateo didn't answer.
Daniel showed them another transaction.
Seven hundred thousand.
Then another.
The total reached $2.1 million.
“All electronically approved.”
Mateo's hands curled into fists.
“Can we prove Carlo did it?”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not yet.”
“Then keep digging.”
Daniel nodded.
But before leaving, he said something that stopped Mateo.
“There is another problem.”
“What?”
“Some of the money was used to protect a loan.”
Mateo's eyes narrowed.
“What loan?”
Daniel looked directly at him.
“A nine-million-dollar loan tied to a development project in Milwaukee.”
The room went silent.
May you like
Because Mateo knew that project.
And he knew it was failing.
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