February 22, 2013.
Four days after the fire.
$780,000.
Judge Monroe frowned.
“Where did this money come from?”
Grace answered.
“An insurance advance related to business interruption and fire damage.”
Victor stared at the wall.
The payment had been deposited into Hale Restaurant Group.
Then, within forty-eight hours, $500,000 had been moved into a separate holding company.
The company was called V.H. Capital.
Sole owner:
Victor Hale.
I looked at him.
“You took the insurance money?”
He finally looked at me.
“It was used for rebuilding.”
Grace displayed the next transaction.
A condominium purchase.
Gold Coast.
$468,000.
I almost laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because the absurdity was too large to hold inside me.
“You bought an apartment?”
Victor’s eyes flashed.
“It was an investment.”
“While I was in the hospital?”
“It belonged to the business.”
Grace said, “Actually, the property remained titled to V.H. Capital until its sale five years later for $910,000.”
