Chapter 7 - Brenda Sloan
Brenda retained criminal counsel the next morning.
That told us nothing by itself.
People who may be exposed should.
Then Sterling Crown’s board placed her on administrative leave.
Not because Catherine ordered.
Because email evidence showed undisclosed knowledge of Briarline.
Interim general manager appointed.
Employees received terse notice.
No affair.
No Olivia.
I went back to library.
Three days after gala.
My supervisor, Elaine Parker, met me at entrance.
“You can take leave.”
“I don’t want.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
I needed shelves.
Questions.
People looking for printer.
Ordinary.
Then HR had read news.
A gossip site posted photo:
MYSTERY WOMAN ARRIVES WITH BILLIONAIRE CATHERINE WILMINGTON, CONFRONTS STERLING CROWN EXECUTIVES.
My name appeared.
No details of bus stop yet.
I hated.
Elaine said:
“No one here gets to interrogate you.”
Good.
I worked four hours.
Then a patron yelled because computer session expired.
I almost smiled.
Real problems.
Then lunch.
My card.
My account.
Rebecca helped open separate checking at new bank.
My paycheck redirect.
I had twelve hundred dollars in savings from a forgotten library credit union account Derek did not know.
It felt like fortune.
Catherine offered money.
I refused.
She did not ask again.
She did allow me guest room while I found apartment.
That was enough.
Then my mother.
I had not told her.
She was recovering from hip surgery.
I called.
“Mom.”
“Where have you been? Derek said you were staying with friends.”
He had called her.
Of course.
Then:
“He said you’re having some kind of breakdown.”
My jaw tightened.
“No.”
I told her bus stop first.
She became silent.
“He took your phone?”
“Yes.”
“Money?”
“Yes.”
Then Briarline.
I did not overload.
She started crying.
“I knew he was controlling.”
I froze.
“What?”
“I didn’t know this.”
Then:
“But the receipts.”
“What receipts?”
“He made you send him pictures every time we had lunch.”
She noticed.
“I thought maybe you both were strict about budget.”
“Why didn’t you say?”
“You defended him.”
I closed eyes.
True.
Then:
“I’m sorry.”
“No.”
She sounded angry.
“At myself.”
“Mom.”
Then:
“Do not start making my silence another debt you carry.”
Good.
Then she asked:
“Where are you?”
“With Catherine Wilmington.”
Silence.
“The Catherine Wilmington?”
“Yes.”
“What in God’s name?”
I laughed first time.
Then mother met Catherine later? Could.
Not yet.
Then Derek’s smear.
His attorney released statement:
Mr. Bennett denies wrongdoing and believes marital assets were used with Mrs. Bennett’s knowledge. He is concerned that a vulnerable marital dispute is being manipulated by wealthy third parties with commercial interests in his employer.
Catherine laughed when Thomas read.
“Vulnerable?”
“He means me?”
“Probably both.”
Then:
“Do not respond.”
I agreed.
Then Derek emailed library director.
He claimed I had accessed confidential financial information using library systems? Absurd but dangerous.
Elaine informed me.
IT checked.
No.
Then Derek told mutual friends I had run away with rich older woman who was using me in takeover.
Some believed.
One text:
Olivia, whatever happened, humiliating him at work is too far.
I blocked.
Then Brenda’s attorney approached special committee.
She wanted cooperation.
Not full confession.
Proffer.
She admitted affair with Derek.
Ten months.
Admitted knowing Briarline was not actually mine.
Admitted allowing vendor approval because Derek said it was temporary structure.
Why?
He told her he was planning to leave marriage and Briarline would become his consulting platform.
She wanted relationship.
Then money.
Brenda owned fifty percent of Harbor Nine?
She admitted yes.
Derek fifty.
Offshore company created to hold investment proceeds and protect privacy.
Why route Briarline money?
They planned to invest in dealership buyout.
Sterling Crown’s founder and chairman, Brenda’s father Howard Sloan, was seventy two and considering partial sale.
Derek and Brenda wanted capital for management buyout.
They could not fund openly.
So they skimmed vendor margins.
There.
Not simply affair spending.
Then:
“Why Olivia as Briarline owner?”
Brenda said Derek proposed.
“He said if company were in his name, Sterling Crown conflict team would catch.”
“And Olivia?”
“He said she’d never notice.”
That sentence.
Then:
“Did you know she did not consent?”
Brenda hesitated.
“Yes.”
Then:
“Why approve?”
“I told myself Derek would divorce and fix paperwork.”
No.
Then forged bank loan.
Brenda claimed she did not know.
Messages?
Derek:
Need line to grow Briarline.
Brenda:
Not in my name.
Derek:
Olivia.
Brenda:
Can you?
Derek:
Already have everything.
She knew enough.
Then international wire.
Brenda knew $250k going Harbor Nine.
Why deadline?
Wilmington’s annual loan review in January, but this was November. They wanted funds moved before year-end close and before special audit.
Then what did they intend with Olivia if fraud found?
This was bigger secret.
Derek had drafted a letter to Sterling Crown board:
I recently learned my wife, Olivia Bennett, may have improperly used vendor status to divert company funds through Briarline. I was unaware of her beneficial ownership and have requested internal review.
A scapegoat letter.
He was going to blame me.
Brenda had seen draft.
Did she object?
She said:
“I told him it was too much.”
Then email:
Brenda:
You cannot throw your wife under bus if we get caught.
Derek:
Watch me.
My stomach turned.
He had already left me under one.
Not metaphorically.
At literal bus stop.
Then Catherine touched my hand.
“Olivia.”
I whispered:
“He was going to say I stole.”
“Yes.”
“And all paperwork had my name.”
“Yes.”
Then:
“If the wire went through?”
Harbor Nine funds under Derek/Brenda.
Briarline under me.
Money trail could suggest I diverted.
He would claim innocent manager.
The bus stop was not just to get phone.
It was to use it to authenticate transaction making my fingerprints digital.
Then I understood why he sent fake text to my phone.
Thanks for handling that bank thing.
He was creating consent.
One cruel afternoon had three purposes.
Control me.
Complete transfer.
May you like
Frame me.
Continue to the next part: Investigators find the draft letter Derek planned to send his employer accusing Olivia of the very fraud he had committed in her name.
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