Chapter 5: The Offer He Thought Would Work
Grace called at two in the afternoon.
"Reyes verified the permits.
The signature on the authorization form doesn't match your known signature samples — they're pulling your mortgage documents for comparison, but he said it's clear enough that he doesn't need the lab results to proceed." A pause.
"He brought Brandon in for questioning an hour ago."
I was sitting in Dana's kitchen.
Skylar was at school — Dana had driven her that morning, and I had written a note for the teacher explaining there might be some disruption at home.
I hadn't said more than that.
"Voluntarily?" I asked.
"For now.
He came with an attorney."
"Paul Gerrity's attorney?"
"No.
Someone else.
A family law specialist." Grace's voice was careful.
"Charlotte, Brandon's attorney contacted my office twenty minutes ago.
He wants to arrange a meeting."
"What kind of meeting?"
"He called it a 'settlement conversation.' His words."
I looked at the table.
Skylar's cereal bowl from breakfast was still there.
She had eaten the whole thing.
She had asked for seconds.
"What does Brandon want to settle?" I said.
"He's proposing that you drop any complaint with the financial crimes unit.
In exchange, he'll sign a separation agreement, waive any claim to the house, and agree to a custody arrangement weighted heavily in your favor."
"He has no claim to the house.
His name was never on the title."
"I know that.
He knows that.
His attorney knows that." Grace paused.
"This isn't about the house, Charlotte.
This is about the fraud charges.
He wants them to go away."
"And Paul Gerrity?"
Silence.
"Grace."
"Paul Gerrity's name hasn't come up in what Brandon's attorney presented.
Brandon is positioning this as a personal financial dispute between spouses.
He's not mentioning the holding company, the transfers, or Gerrity at all."
"He's trying to contain it."
"Yes."
"He wants me to close the door before Reyes gets to Paul."
"That's my read," Grace said.
"Which is why I told his attorney I'd pass the offer along and that you would need time to consider it."
"I don't need time."
"Charlotte—"
"I need you to call Reyes and tell him about the holding company if you haven't already.
And I need you to tell Brandon's attorney that I'm not settling anything."
A beat.
"All right," Grace said.
"I'll make the call."
She hung up.
I sat with the phone in my hand.
Twenty minutes later, it rang again.
Not Grace.
Not Brandon.
Hailey.
I almost didn't answer.
Then I did.
"Charlotte." Her voice was different.
Quieter.
The performance was gone.
"I need to tell you something."
"Then tell me."
"I didn't know about the signature.
I didn't know they had forged anything.
I thought — Brandon told me you had agreed to the renovation and that you were just being difficult about the timeline." A shaky breath.
"I didn't know it was — I didn't know it was like this."
I waited.
"The contractor," Hailey said.
"His name is Marcus Webb.
He's not a real contractor.
He doesn't have a license.
He's Paul's cousin.
The renovation was never going to happen.
The deposit money — the draw payments — they were going to go straight to Paul's company and then offshore."
The room was very still.
"Hailey.
How do you know that?"
"Because Paul told me.
Three weeks ago.
He thought I was — he thought I was on their side." Her voice cracked.
"I've been staying in your house for almost a year, Charlotte.
You never once made me feel like a burden.
You bought groceries for me.
You let Skylar teach me how to play card games on Sunday nights." A pause.
"I'm not on their side."
"Will you say that to a detective?"
A long silence.
"Yes," she said.
"I'll say it."
I closed my eyes.
"I'll have my attorney call you within the hour," I said.
"Don't talk to Brandon or Gertrude before then."
"They're not here.
Brandon went to Paul's office after the police station.
Gertrude is — I don't know where she went.
She left with a suitcase."
May you like
Gertrude had left with a suitcase.
She knew what was coming.
