Chapter 15: The Foundation Nobody Knew About
We drove straight to Anna's office.
She examined the receipt and immediately contacted the registry.
Within an hour, she had found the foundation.
It was called the Karl Morgen Family Protection Fund.
The name alone brought tears to my eyes.
My husband had created something in our family's name without telling me.
Anna explained that the foundation had been registered shortly before Karl died.
Its stated purpose was to provide financial assistance to elderly people facing property exploitation and financial abuse.
I read the registration document.
"Why didn't he tell me?""
Anna looked at me gently.
"Perhaps he intended to explain it later.""
Alexander examined the trustees' names.
There were three.
Karl Morgen.
Martin Keller.
And Markus Vogel.
I stared at the page.
"Vogel again.""
Anna nodded.
"Yes.""
"Can he take money from the foundation?""
"Not without following its governing rules. But as a trustee, he had access to certain records.""
Alexander looked at the initial funding amount.
"How much did Dad put into it?""
Anna scrolled down.
"The original donation was €80,000.""
The exact amount from the receipt.
I felt a strange mixture of pride and grief.
Karl had refused to accept money from Ewald.
Instead, he had used it to create something that could help people like me.
But the foundation had almost no public activity.
There were no annual reports available.
No clear list of beneficiaries.
And the bank account had been closed two years earlier.
I looked at Anna.
"Where did the money go?""
She began searching through the documents.
"That's what we need to establish.""
Alexander's phone rang.
It was Daniel.
He answered immediately.
"Where are you?""
Daniel sounded panicked.
"Alexander, I need you to listen. I think Bianca knows I've spoken to you.""
"What happened?""
"She came to my office this morning. She wanted the original loan documents.""
"Did you give them to her?""
"No.""
"Then what?""
"She said Ewald has someone looking into my accounts. She threatened to tell the police I created DK Solutions to steal your money.""
Alexander closed his eyes.
"Daniel, you did help them steal my money.""
"I know. I'm not denying that. But I didn't know about the trust or the foundation.""
I leaned closer to the phone.
"Did you know about Karl's €80,000?""
Daniel went silent.
Then he said, "I saw a transfer.""
"Where did it go?""
"An account connected to a company called Morgen Family Services.""
Anna quickly searched the name.
A company had been registered under that title eighteen months earlier.
Its director was listed as a woman named Sophie Brandt.
I had never heard of her.
Daniel continued.
"The company paid several invoices to DK Solutions. I thought it was another one of Ewald's arrangements.""
"How much?"" Alexander asked.
"Approximately €61,000.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Where did the rest go?""
"I don't know. There were payments to a law firm and an account in Austria.""
Anna wrote everything down.
"Daniel, do you have proof?""
"Yes. I kept the bank statements.""
"Why?""
"Because I knew one day this would come back to me.""
Alexander's voice was cold.
"You should have come to me before.""
"I know.""
Daniel paused.
Then he said something unexpected.
"There's another person you need to speak to.""
"Who?""
"The director of Morgen Family Services.""
Anna looked up.
"Who is she?""
Daniel gave us the name again.
"Sophie Brandt. She used to work for Karl.""
I frowned.
"My husband never mentioned anyone by that name.""
Daniel sounded confused.
"She was his assistant during the final months of his life.""
I looked at Anna.
"That can't be right.""
Karl had never employed an assistant.
At least, not one I knew about.
Daniel continued.
"She handled some paperwork for him. I met her twice when I visited the old office.""
I felt a chill.
"Where can we find her?""
Daniel gave us an address.
Anna searched it.
The company was registered to a small office building on the outskirts of the city.
We drove there that afternoon.
The building looked ordinary.
A row of small offices occupied the ground floor.
A woman at reception confirmed that Sophie Brandt still used the premises, but she had not been there for several weeks.
She gave us a telephone number.
Anna called.
No answer.
She left a message.
We waited.
Then my phone rang.
An unfamiliar woman spoke.
"Mrs. Morgen?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Sophie Brandt. I understand you're looking for me.""
"Yes. We need to speak about my husband.""
There was a long pause.
Then she said, "I wondered when you would find out.""
"Find out what?""
"That Karl didn't create the foundation to hide money.""
"Then why did he create it?""
"To protect the people who had been cheated by Ewald.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Who were those people?""
"Several small business owners. Some retired workers. People who had lost their savings because of fraudulent financial arrangements.""
I looked at Alexander.
"How much money was involved?""
Sophie answered quietly.
"More than €600,000.""
The same amount Martin had mentioned.
I felt my legs weaken.
"Where did the money go?""
"Some was recovered. Some was distributed to victims. But the original records disappeared.""
"Who took them?""
Sophie didn't answer immediately.
Then she said:
"Markus Vogel.""
Anna took the phone from me.
"Ms. Brandt, this is Dr. Richter, legal counsel for Mrs.
Morgen. Can you provide evidence?""
"Yes. I have copies.""
"Where are you?""
Sophie hesitated.
"At my home.""
"Can we meet?""
"Not today.""
"Why not?""
A faint sound came through the phone.
A door closing.
Then Sophie whispered:
"Because someone is outside my apartment.""
My heart began pounding.
"Who?""
"I don't know. But they have been following me since yesterday.""
Anna looked at the others.
"Ms. Brandt, contact the police immediately.""
Sophie began breathing faster.
"I tried. They told me to wait.""
"Stay inside. Lock the door.""
Then we heard a loud crash through the phone.
Sophie gasped.
Someone was trying to get in.
Alexander stood.
"Sophie? Can you hear us?""
Her voice became barely audible.
"Mrs. Morgen, there's something I need you to understand.""
"What?""
"Karl didn't leave the foundation to you and Alexander because he wanted you to inherit money.""
I held my breath.
"He left it because he knew someone would try to steal it.""
The door crashed again.
Sophie screamed.
Then the call ended.
Anna immediately contacted the police.
Alexander grabbed his coat.
"We're going there.""
"Wait," Anna said.
"The police are already being dispatched.""
But he was moving toward the door.
I followed him.
We arrived near Sophie's apartment twenty minutes later.
A police vehicle was parked outside.
Two officers stood near the entrance.
One of them approached us.
"Are you the people who contacted the witness?""
"Yes," Anna replied.
"Is she safe?""
The officer looked uncomfortable.
"We're still checking the property.""
Then another officer came out carrying a small evidence bag.
Inside was a broken mobile phone.
I recognized it.
It belonged to Sophie.
"Where is she?"" I asked.
The officer exchanged a glance with his colleague.
"We haven't found her.""
I felt the world tilt.
"What do you mean?""
"The apartment is empty. The back door was open.""
Alexander looked toward the stairwell.
On the floor near the entrance lay a torn piece of paper.
He picked it up before anyone could stop him.
It was a photograph of Karl.
On the back, someone had written four words.
Ask your mother about Martin.
Alexander turned toward me.
I stared at the photograph.
And suddenly I remembered the last conversation Karl and I had before he died.
He had held my hand and whispered:
"Helga, if Martin ever comes asking for the box, don't give it to him.""
I had promised.
I had never told anyone.
May you like
Not even Alexander.
And now, standing in the hallway, I understood that the secret I had kept from my son might be the very thing that could bring all of us down.
