Chapter 11 - The Empty Penthouse.
Grant told prosecutors that Miles Arden had stolen the jewelry, forged the transfers, manipulated the security system, and used Grant's accounts without permission.
He claimed the bracelet on Savannah's wrist was part of his own attempt to expose Miles.
Savannah nearly laughed when Daniel summarized the statement.
"He exposed Miles by telling me it was a family gift?"
Grant offered one test of his story.
The offer was almost too helpful, which made Vivian distrust it immediately.
Grant had spent years controlling what people saw, and she doubted he would suddenly point investigators toward a place that could surprise him.
Investigators should search a luxury penthouse downtown that Miles used regularly.
The apartment belonged to a shell company, but elevator records showed Miles's access card there many times.
Investigators entered under legal authorization.
After the initial search, Daniel walked Vivian and Savannah through the cleared rooms.
The penthouse looked more like a stage than a home.
There were no family photographs, no ordinary clutter, and almost no personal clothing.
Even the kitchen cabinets held unused glassware arranged by height.
Savannah walked through the rooms slowly and said the place reminded her of model apartments Grant once showed her while talking about a future home.
Vivian realized he had been rehearsing different futures for different people.
In the study, a shredder held recently destroyed financial papers.
A locked cabinet contained replica-jewelry receipts, foundation reports, and photographs of Vivian's house.
Everything pointed toward Miles so neatly that Vivian became suspicious.
"Grant gave investigators this address."
Daniel nodded.
"Which means he knew what they would find."
Building records showed Grant had visited the penthouse seven times during the previous year.
His attorney had omitted that detail.
Savannah found an envelope addressed to her inside a desk drawer.
Daniel opened it.
It contained one of the false declarations Savannah had signed about Vivian.
Across the bottom, someone had written, "Keep originals until V is removed."
Savannah recognized Grant's shorthand.
Vivian noticed a framed print hanging slightly crooked behind the desk.
The rest of the room was obsessively aligned.
Investigators removed the frame and found a shallow compartment containing a digital recorder.
One file captured a conversation between Grant and Miles.
Miles warned that using Savannah's pregnancy in a campaign against Vivian was reckless.
Grant replied that public sympathy would make Vivian look bitter if she objected.
Savannah turned away from the speaker.
Another recording captured Grant ordering Miles to create the false visitor code at Vivian's house.
"Make it look like Savannah went in," Grant said.
"If the bracelet becomes an issue, they can blame each other."
Vivian finally had the sentence that connected the stolen bracelet to the effort to divide them.
The recording continued.
Miles mentioned that Richard wanted more money.
Grant answered, "Richard gets paid when Vivian is off the board."
Investigators began searching for Richard.
He had already left his office and sent a resignation email to the entire foundation board.
Attached was a scanned document claiming Vivian's father had revoked the trust amendment found in the piano bench.
If authentic, the revocation could restore the old marital clause.
Daniel studied the document and went pale.
May you like
Vivian saw why.
The witness signature at the bottom belonged to Daniel Mercer.
