Chapter 5 - The Audit of Moretti Shipping
Three weeks later, the rain over Seattle had finally given way to a crisp, brilliant autumn afternoon.
The offices of Moretti Shipping on the downtown waterfront looked nothing like the dark, intimidating fortress I had imagined. The executive suite on the forty-second floor was flooded with golden sunlight, gleaming with polished glass, modern art, and panoramic views of Elliott Bay.
I sat behind a massive white quartz desk that spanned nearly ten feet, wearing a tailored charcoal pantsuit that didn't come from Safeway or the discount rack at Nordstrom.
My title was no longer Accounts Clerk at Brightwood Dental Group.
According to the new organizational chart signed by Dante Moretti himself, I was the Chief Financial and Compliance Director of Moretti Global Enterprises.
The door opened softly, and Dante walked in carrying two cups of artisan espresso. He set one down on the corner of my desk, sliding into the leather visitor’s chair opposite me with a quiet sigh of relief.
"The federal grand jury in Tacoma officially closed the inquiry into our shipping manifests this morning," Dante said, taking a sip of his espresso. "Your internal audit structure caught every single anomalous ledger entry left behind by the previous CFO and your sister’s shell companies. The board of directors thinks you're a financial miracle worker."
"I'm not a miracle worker, Dante," I said, adjusting my new gold-rimmed glasses—real designer frames this time. "I'm just an accountant. The only difference is that now my ledger has teeth."
Dante smiled, leaning back in his chair and watching me with those calm, slate-gray eyes. "And Sabrina?"
"Serving a fifteen-year sentence at the federal correctional facility in Dublin, California," I replied, my voice devoid of emotion. "Her defense attorney tried to argue that she was coerced by her criminal associates. But since her own encrypted hard drives contained meticulous proof that she framed her twin sister for the embezzlement, the judge wasn't particularly sympathetic."
"And you?" Dante asked quietly. "Do you miss the dental office?"
I looked down at the sprawling harbor outside the window, watching the massive container ships gliding smoothly across the blue water, guided by logistics, schedules, and power that operated entirely in the open.
May you like
"Sometimes," I admitted with a faint smile. "The teeth were easier to manage than your capos."
Dante let out a low, gravelly laugh, standing up and walking toward the floor-to-ceiling glass wall. "Well, if any of my capos give you trouble, Isidora, just remember: you have the master keys to the vault. And unlike your sister, you actually know how to use them."
