“Preserve every invoice.”

Then Emma added one more detail.

“I already photographed the vendor codes.”

Several board members suddenly stopped looking at Victoria.

They started looking at each other.

CONTINUITY FRAME: End with Emma standing beside Henry near the stage, her stained black service dress unchanged. Henry has just ordered the invoices preserved. Victoria and Brandon remain on the opposite side of the room, surrounded by watching donors and security staff.

PART 3 — THE FIRST NUMBERS THAT DIDN’T ADD UP

The first review began before midnight.

The foundation’s chief financial officer, Lena Ortiz, pulled three years of gala records.

Coastal Luxe appeared everywhere.

Event staffing.

Decor rentals.

Transportation.

Private security.

Premium hospitality.

The company had received more than $1.9 million from the foundation.

That was not automatically suspicious.

Large galas were expensive.

But Emma had noticed repeated vendor codes tied to services that did not appear to exist.

One code, CLH-47, billed the foundation $84,000 for “executive guest logistics.”

The hotel coordinator had never heard of it.

Another billed $62,000 for “donor hospitality suites.”

No suites had been booked.

Brandon’s attorney arrived quickly and warned everyone not to jump to conclusions.

Henry agreed.

“We don’t convict people with spreadsheets.”

Emma appreciated that.

She wanted records, not theater.

Then Lena found the first real problem.

The bank account receiving some Coastal Luxe payments did not belong directly to Brandon’s operating company.

It belonged to a related entity called Shoreline Advisory.

The registered manager was Brandon.

The mailing address belonged to Victoria’s private office.

Victoria folded her arms.

“Related companies are common.”