Brandon said Shoreline subcontracted high-level relationship management.

Emma asked:

“To whom?”

Nobody answered.

Then Henry noticed something worse.

The invoice had been paid from a restricted fund.

Money donors had specifically designated for Caroline Hale Youth Housing.

The foundation’s gala budget was unrestricted.

Restricted housing money should never have paid for donor entertainment.

Victoria’s confidence finally cracked.

“That has to be a coding mistake.”

Emma looked at Lena.

Lena shook her head.

“It happened twelve times.”

CONTINUITY FRAME: End with Lena holding the $118,000 invoice in the conference room. Emma, now wearing a borrowed blazer, faces Victoria across the table. Henry sits beside Lena, studying the document. Keep the room and character positions consistent as the investigation continues.

PART 5 — SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS

The twelve transfers totaled $740,000.

Each one moved money from the youth-housing initiative into gala-related vendor payments.

Not all went to Coastal Luxe.

Some went to legitimate hotels and caterers.

That complicated the story.

The foundation had a cash-flow problem.

Two years earlier, unrestricted donations declined while housing commitments increased.

Someone began using restricted funds temporarily to cover general expenses.

The plan may have been to reimburse the housing account later.

Sometimes the money was returned.

Sometimes it was not.

Henry looked devastated.

“How did I miss this?”

Lena answered carefully.

Because the transfers were labeled as interfund advances.

The board received high-level reports.

Not the underlying movement.

Henry had trusted management.

Victoria had chaired the fundraising committee.