"Nobody is abandoning anyone. We're going to find out what happened."
Richard shook his head.
"You don't understand what you're risking."
"Then explain it."
He glanced toward Daniel.
"Not in front of him."
Victoria's eyes narrowed.
"Why not?"
"Because there are things about Dad's final months that you don't know."
She felt her stomach tighten.
"What things?"
Richard hesitated.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Your father wasn't telling you everything."
Daniel immediately responded.
"Mr. Hayes, be careful about making statements you cannot support."
Richard ignored him.
"Do you remember the last time you visited Dad?"
Victoria nodded.
"Of course."
"You were only there for a few hours."
"I was deployed. I had limited leave."
"Exactly."
Richard's expression became harder.
"You think you knew what was happening because you visited him occasionally. But I was there every day. I handled the doctors. I paid the bills. I took care of everything."
Victoria looked at him.
"And?"
"And you have no idea what he asked me to do."
Daniel's expression changed.
"Richard, this is not the time."
Richard turned toward Victoria.
"Your father wanted me to sell one of the properties. He wanted the company to restructure its debt. He wanted me to make decisions that you would never have understood."
Victoria shook her head.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you weren't interested."
"That's not true."
"You were always away."
Victoria looked down for a moment.
She remembered those difficult months.
She had requested leave several times.
Some requests had been approved, others delayed because of operational requirements.
Whenever she called home, Richard told her that everything was under control.
He said their father was receiving good care.
He said Helen was fine.
He said there was no reason for Victoria to worry.
Now, she wondered whether those conversations had been deliberately designed to keep her away.
Richard continued.
"Do you know how much money I spent keeping this family afloat?"
Victoria looked at Daniel.
The attorney remained silent.
"How much?" she asked.
Richard rubbed his face.
"Millions."
Victoria felt a chill.
"Where did that money go?"
Richard did not answer.
"Richard, where did it go?"
He looked toward the ballroom.
Then he lowered his voice further.
"Some of it went into the company. Some went toward Dad's medical expenses. Some went to settle obligations he had made before he died."
Daniel finally spoke.
"We have records of the medical expenses. They do not account for the transfers we're investigating."
Richard's face hardened again.
"You always have something to say."
"Because the records are clear."
Richard stepped closer to Victoria.
"Listen to me. If you cooperate with them, you're going to ruin everything."
Victoria stared at him.
"Everything that I didn't know existed?"
"You're being selfish."
She almost laughed.
For years, she had been called selfish whenever she refused to give Richard what he wanted.
She had been selfish for pursuing her career.
Selfish for moving away.
Selfish for refusing to finance his business.
Selfish for asking questions about their father's estate.
Now she was selfish for wanting to know why her name appeared on documents she had never signed.
Victoria looked directly into his eyes.
"I'm done protecting you from the consequences of your decisions."
Richard's expression changed.
For a moment, he looked genuinely shocked.
Then his voice became cold.
"You'll regret this."
Daniel stepped forward.
"That statement is inappropriate."
Richard turned away.
Victoria continued toward the lobby.
The hotel was quieter outside the ballroom.
The sound of the orchestra was muffled behind the heavy doors, and a few guests stood near the reception desk discussing what they had witnessed.
Samuel Whitmore was waiting beside a leather sofa.
He was a distinguished man in his late sixties, wearing a dark suit and carrying a briefcase.
When he saw Victoria, he stood.
"Admiral Hayes?"
Victoria nodded.
"Mr. Whitmore."
He extended his hand.
"I'm sorry we have to meet under these circumstances."
"Thank you for coming."
Samuel looked at her injured cheek.
His expression became serious.
"I understand there was an incident."
"Yes."
"Have you received medical attention?"
"Not yet."
"We should arrange that."
Victoria nodded.
Daniel placed the folder on the table.
"Mr. Whitmore, these are the original documents delivered under Mr. Hayes's instructions."
Samuel opened his briefcase.
He examined the envelope, then the first financial statement.
His expression remained neutral, but Victoria noticed that he spent considerably more time studying certain pages.
After several minutes, he removed a pair of reading glasses.
"May I ask whether you have ever authorized Richard Hayes to sign financial documents on your behalf?"
"No."
"Have you ever given him power of attorney?"
"No."
"Have you ever granted him access to your personal trust account?"
"Never."
Samuel nodded.
"That is important."
He turned another page.
Then he stopped.
His eyes moved slowly across the document.
"Mr. Cole, is this the authorization form dated March fourteenth?"
"Yes."
Samuel looked at Victoria.
"Where were you on that date?"
"On deployment overseas."
"Do you have records confirming that?"
"I can obtain my official travel and service records."