Eight O’Clock in the Boardroom
The next morning, Grant called Douglas, Curtis, and Paige into the executive boardroom.
Douglas arrived carrying a thick folder.
“Before you make decisions based on emotional stories,” he said, “you should know Rachel Whitmore’s employment history.”
Grant didn’t touch the folder.
Instead he set two inventory reports on the table.
“Why does the same monthly shortage show up as $24,000 in one report and nearly $49,000 three days later?”
Douglas barely reacted.
“Accounting adjustments.”
Evelyn opened her laptop.
“Except several products added to the second report were never delivered to this building.”
Silence.
Grant put Rachel’s photographs up on the screen.
“Curtis, you told me this dairy product was an emergency substitute. Rachel photographed the same brand eight months ago.”
Curtis shifted in his seat.
“Purchasing isn’t my department.”
“But your signature’s on the requisitions.”
Paige jumped in.
“Suppliers sometimes make substitutions without telling finance.”
Evelyn switched the screen.
A spreadsheet appeared.
“For three years, premium products were billed while cheaper goods were delivered. Payments were repeatedly split to dodge corporate review.”
Douglas stayed calm.
“Large hotels need flexibility.”
Grant looked straight at him.
“Fraudulent billing isn’t flexibility.”
