Chapter 26 - The final car
One commercial dispute remained.
The black Ferrari 458 Speciale in neutral storage.
Owned on paper by Aurum.
But former investor Dean Hollis claimed he had supplied $210,000 toward purchase under an oral co-investment agreement and was entitled to 40% of sale proceeds.
Helena claimed:
Loan.
Not ownership.
Why did it matter to my story?
Because Helena’s final defense strategy in the civil business cases was to suggest Nightstar had not been hers alone.
She alleged:
I had encouraged “monetizing idle vehicles” during a dinner conversation.
Therefore, she argued, I was effectively aware of Nightstar’s model.
If I had known, client and insurer claims might expand toward me.
I remembered the dinner.
Helena said:
“These cars sit too much.”
I replied:
“Then make them earn their keep.”
I meant:
Sell them.
Lease properly.
Use legal business models.
She said it meant:
Paid access.
No written record clarified.
Could her argument create liability?
Potentially enough to investigate.
My lawyers did not dismiss it.
Forensic review looked for:
Payments to me.
Nightstar distributions.
My approvals.
Messages.
None.
One text from Helena to Cody:
Carmine says monetize inventory.
Cody:
Did you tell him Nightstar?
Helena:
No need.
That helped.
Then another:
He would shut it down if he knew clients drove unsupervised.
There.
Her own words.
The remaining Ferrari dispute went to mediation.
Dean proved:
Wire marked “vehicle investment.”
Helena’s email:
You’ll get forty percent upside after sale.
Not merely loan.
Settlement:
Ferrari sold with lender/lien approvals for $387,000.
Loan balance/fees paid.
Dean received negotiated share.
Aurum received remainder.
Those funds paid final employee wages, taxes, and part of lender deficiency.
Aurum formally dissolved after winding up.
No business left.
Then Helena’s last attempt to shift Nightstar liability toward me failed for lack of evidence.
Her counsel withdrew third-party claim after reviewing communications.
The final commercial case closed.
That afternoon, I signed one document:
Termination of every business-use permission associated with the mansion garage.
No dramatic flourish.
Just signature.
Then Leo came home from school.
He saw me standing near the empty west bays.
“Are cars coming back?”
“No.”
“Never?”
“Not for a business.”
He walked to the place where I had found him kneeling.
Then looked at me.
“Can I put my bike here?”
I smiled.
“Yes.”
May you like
The most expensive garage in the county gained a six-year-old’s bicycle.
Best use it had seen in months.
