Chapter 4 - The Ninety Six Thousand Dollars
The first invoice was not fake.
That mattered.
CSD Project Services had performed actual coordination.
Derek arranged:
Cabinet installation.
Floor refinishing.
Electrical work.
Painting.
Appliance delivery.
Northbridge’s property manager approved invoices based on submitted contracts.
The problem was disclosure.
Derek had represented CSD as an independent vendor.
He never disclosed he owned it.
Then pricing.
Lydia Shaw, Northbridge’s forensic accountant, reconstructed four years.
CSD invoices to Blue Ridge Residential Holdings:
$312,700.
Underlying subcontractor costs:
Approximately $221,400.
Reasonable project management markup if disclosed:
Maybe ten to fifteen percent depending services.
Actual spread:
More than $91,000 before expenses.
Conflict.
Possibly fraud if misrepresentations induced payment.
Then another vendor.
Hawthorne Facilities Group.
Billed:
$188,600 over three years.
Services:
HVAC maintenance.
Emergency plumbing.
Furniture storage.
Security upgrades.
Registered owner:
Marcus Dean.
Derek’s former college roommate.
Actual service costs verified:
About $119,000.
Additional suspicious overbilling:
Nearly $69,000.
Did Derek receive money?
Bank records would determine.
No assumption.
Then third:
Blue Lantern Design.
Real design firm.
No connection.
Good.
Not every vendor corrupt.
Then unit ownership.
Derek had no equity.
Yet he had profited from trust funded renovation.
Why did Northbridge miss?
Because property manager approved under delegated authority.
CSD passed vendor onboarding.
Beneficial ownership disclosure form identified Derek’s business partner Jonathan Pike as managing member.
False.
State filings showed Derek was sole member until eight months later, when Pike added.
Northbridge referred matter to outside counsel.
Not police yet?
They had sufficient to investigate internally and preserve.
Then I asked Eleanor:
“Can I fire everyone?”
“No.”
I almost laughed.
“At least you’re consistent.”
“The trustee has fiduciary duties. You can request changes. Your age seventy rights allow certain appointments, but you cannot direct retaliation.”
Good.
Then capacity evaluation.
Northbridge arranged independent geriatric assessment.
Dr. Helen Marks.
Memory.
Executive function.
Medication understanding.
Financial comprehension.
No one asked whether I could cook perfect risotto.
I scored normally for age.
Some fatigue from pneumonia.
No dementia.
No delirium.
No basis to suspend governance rights.
Report:
Capable.
Then Derek’s lawyer objected.
Claimed:
One evaluation after “coaching” insufficient.
Northbridge said:
Provide medical evidence.
He had none.
My primary physician wrote:
No diagnosis of cognitive impairment.
The capacity challenge began collapsing.
Then occupancy.
Northbridge served Allison and Derek with formal notice that trust was reviewing the family occupancy agreement due:
Violence allegation.
Misrepresentation.
Potential conflicts of interest.
Could the trust terminate immediately?
Real estate counsel said:
Not safely without reviewing local tenancy rules.
Despite license language, five years of continuous residence and monthly payments could give occupants statutory notice rights.
Good.
Northbridge issued legally appropriate termination notice rather than changing locks.
Building security:
Could not remove personal belongings.
Could not bar Allison from her residence until process.
Could enforce guest/security rules.
Could protect me if I entered accompanied.
I chose not to enter.
My belongings remained:
Medication.
Clothes.
Photo album.
Cane backup.
A sweater Henry bought me.
Security escorted Allison to collect them for me.
Derek had not returned.
Then police.
Officer Hayes called.
Allison had changed her statement.
Initially, she told officers:
“I didn’t see exactly how Margaret fell.”
Now she said:
“I saw Derek shove her.”
That strengthened assault case.
Why lie first?
Fear.
Habit.
Protection.
Still a false statement.
The officer said prosecutors would decide.
Then I asked Allison:
“Where are you staying?”
“At the condo.”
“With Derek gone?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you want him back?”
Silence.
“I don’t know.”
That answer angered Beth? No Beth here. Just Margaret.
I said:
“You do not have to decide today.”
She looked shocked.
Maybe she expected ultimatum.
Then:
“You do have to decide whether you will keep lying for him.”
She cried.
“I won’t.”
Good.
Then Derek emailed Allison.
She forwarded to Eleanor.
DO NOT SPEAK TO NORTHBRIDGE WITHOUT MILES. THEY ARE TRYING TO STEAL YOUR INHERITANCE.
Interesting.
It was not his inheritance.
Then:
YOUR MOTHER IS USING THIS TO CUT YOU OUT.
I had no power to cut her out of Henry’s fixed remainder provisions.
Another lie.
Then:
IF THEY REVIEW THE VENDORS, WE BOTH HAVE A PROBLEM.
Allison stared.
“We?”
Eleanor asked:
“Did you sign vendor approvals?”
“No.”
“Anything?”
Allison went pale.
“One reimbursement certification.”
“What did it say?”
“That renovation expenses were for our residence and reasonable.”
“Did you know CSD was Derek’s?”
“Yes.”
There.
“How much did you understand?”
“I thought Northbridge knew.”
“Why?”
“Derek said they did.”
Eleanor did not accuse.
“Did the form ask you to disclose related parties?”
Allison closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“And what did you mark?”
“No.”
The room went silent.
Allison had not only watched me fall.
May you like
She had signed at least one false statement connected to trust money.
And now her husband’s email said they both had a problem.
