Chapter 5
Lena spent the fifth day after the assault reviewing corporate registrations.
Her hand still hurt.
Her anger hurt differently.
Miriam brought coffee and six folders.
“You should be resting.”
“I am sitting.”
“That is not what doctors mean.”
Lena ignored her.
The three nonprofits behind Grant’s requested disbursements were legally real.
Their boards existed.
Their tax filings existed.
Their stated missions were plausible.
But each had contracted development work to outside companies created within months of one another.
Miriam opened the first chart.
“Hollow Creek Development.”
Second.
“North Meridian Property Partners.”
Third.
“Elm Vantage Consulting.”
Lena nodded.
“Different addresses.”
“Different officers.”
“Different banks.”
Miriam watched her.
“You found the connection.”
Lena turned over three pages.
Each shell company used the same registered-agent service.
Not illegal.
Thousands of unrelated companies did.
But two officers shared a prior employer with Grant.
One had served as his executive assistant at an investment firm seven years earlier.
Another company’s mailing address matched a private office suite leased by Grant’s former business partner.
Circumstantial.
Worth investigating.
Lena said:
“He built distance.”
Miriam nodded.
“Enough that the transactions look independent at first pass.”
“Not enough for forensic review.”
“No.”
“Still not enough for police.”
“Correct.”
Lena closed the folders.
“Then we need the final movement.”
Miriam looked at her.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because the transfer authorization tells us who benefits.”
“Unless Grant backs off.”
“He won’t.”
“How do you know?”
Lena looked at her brace.
“Because Celeste broke my wrist over those invoices.”
Miriam corrected her.
“She injured your wrist after accusing you of theft.”
“Right after Grant saw the folder.”
“You’re connecting events.”
“Yes.”
“Be careful.”
Lena sighed.
“You and Rebecca would get along.”
“Adrian’s attorney?”
“Yes.”
Miriam smiled.
“Maybe after this stops being a disaster.”
At the mansion, Adrian was discovering a different problem.
Celeste wanted the engagement party to proceed.
He suggested postponing.
She reacted more strongly than expected.
“You cannot cancel six days before.”
“I can cancel anything.”
“People have flown in.”
“That is not a reason to celebrate an engagement I’m currently questioning.”
Her eyes filled.
Perfectly timed.
“You’re punishing me because of a housekeeper.”
Adrian’s expression hardened.
“Her name is Lena.”
Celeste went still.
He continued.
“And your assistant says you planted the bracelet.”
“That girl is lying.”
“She signed a statement.”
“Because Lena paid her?”
“Careful.”
Celeste folded her arms.
“You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Believe employees over family.”
Adrian stared at her.
“We aren’t married.”
Her expression changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
He saw something he had missed before.
Celeste was not merely worried about losing him.
She was worried about losing something scheduled to happen with the marriage.
May you like
Adrian did not know what.
Yet.
