Chapter 8 - The invoices
Nora and the foundation’s controller, Steven Cho, had been reviewing event expenses for six weeks.
Not because they suspected poisoning.
Because the foundation’s gala costs had increased almost forty percent in two years.
Some increase was expected.
Venue.
Catering.
Inflation.
Security.
But several vendor invoices did not reconcile cleanly.
Vale & Co. Events had won the event-management contract through a board-approved process.
Vanessa disclosed ownership.
I recused myself from the final vote.
Three bids existed.
Vale & Co. was not the cheapest.
It was competitive.
Then subcontracting began.
Lighting.
Floral design.
Guest transport.
Temporary staging.
Production labor.
Several vendors shared:
Mailing address variations.
A registered agent.
Or a business relationship with a man named Derek Voss.
Vanessa’s older half-brother.
I knew Derek.
Barely.
He ran a hospitality-services company in Rhode Island.
Nora suspected related-party conflicts had not been disclosed.
She and Steven planned to present the issue to the audit committee the morning after the gala.
Not onstage.
Vanessa apparently believed otherwise.
Why?
Someone told her Graham planned to:
“Freeze Vale & Co. publicly tonight.”
That message came from Marissa Kent.
Vanessa’s operations manager.
Where did Marissa get it?
A fragment of an email Nora sent the audit chair:
Graham should not make further public commitments to Vale & Co. until committee review.
Public commitments.
Meaning future contract announcements.
Marissa interpreted it—or presented it—as:
Graham is going to publicly accuse you.
Vanessa believed her.
Then panicked.
Again.
May you like
Not an excuse.
A mechanism.
