Chapter 4
Grant’s lawyers claimed the Bennett Forge acquisition was the obvious answer.
Maybe.
But the financial records did not support desperation on that scale.
Grant was wealthy.
If the acquisition failed, Bennett Forge would remain private.
Logan could keep training there.
Grant might lose prestige and some money.
Not enough to justify a public assault on a child.
So Claire authorized Rebecca to request a deeper corporate review.
The first discovery was a $3.4 million receivable.
Over four years, Bennett Response Group had advanced money, staff time, equipment, and facility improvements connected to Bennett Forge.
Some legitimate.
Bennett Forge trained company security personnel and emergency-response teams.
But invoices went unpaid.
Rather than classify the balance as overdue related-party debt, Grant had repeatedly described it as “strategic integration cost.”
The finance department questioned the classification twice.
Grant answered:
“Acquisition expected. Reconcile at closing.”
Claire read the email.
“Closing makes the receivable disappear?”
“No,” the forensic accountant said. “But once the subsidiary is acquired, intercompany balances can be consolidated or eliminated depending on structure.”
“So the acquisition cleans up the presentation.”
“It can make an ugly related-party receivable less visible as a current external exposure.”
That was more interesting.
Then came Logan.
Bennett Forge had paid nearly $780,000 over three years toward:
Fight-camp expenses.
Travel.
Private coaching.
Promotional production.
Medical support.
A personal branding agency.
Some of those expenses were legitimate marketing.
Some looked unusually personal.
Grant approved them.
Then Bennett Response Group reimbursed Bennett Forge for a portion under a “recruitment and community outreach” contract.
Amount:
$460,000.
The program existed.
But the documentation was thin.
The board had never seen the Logan-specific allocation.
Claire asked:
“When is audit committee reviewing these?”
The accountant answered:
“Wednesday.”
One day after the acquisition vote.
Claire looked at Rebecca.
Tuesday:
Approve acquisition.
Wednesday:
Audit questionable related-party spending.
If Tuesday succeeded, Wednesday’s discussion occurred after Bennett Forge became part of the company.
Still reviewable.
But politically and financially different.
Then another deadline surfaced.
Bennett Forge had a $5 million private credit facility.
Grant personally guaranteed $2.6 million.
The lender’s maturity date:
Friday.
If the acquisition was approved Tuesday, Bennett Response Group planned to refinance the facility at closing.
If not, Grant needed another solution.
Now the pressure had shape.
But Rebecca still shook her head.
“Money explains why he wants Tuesday.”
Claire nodded.
May you like
“It doesn’t yet explain why he needs me publicly violent instead of simply fighting my vote.”
Exactly.
