Chapter 3 - MIAMI
Garret called that evening.
I let it ring twice.
Then I answered.
“Hey.”
His voice was cheerful.
Too cheerful.
“Hey, babe.”
Music played behind him.
Glasses clinked.
Someone laughed.
“Everything okay?”
I looked at Maya sleeping beside me.
“Perfect.”
“Good.”
He hesitated.
“Did you get into the house?”
Interesting.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
Silence.
Barely a second.
Then he laughed.
“The keypad’s been acting weird.”
“Has it?”
“Yeah.”
“Strange.”
Another pause.
“Where are you now?”
“At Paige’s.”
His relief was immediate.
“That’s probably better anyway.”
“Why?”
“You need help with the baby.”
The baby.
Not Maya.
“Right.”
“Mom said you’ve seemed overwhelmed.”
I nearly smiled.
Evelyn had seen me once since Maya was born.
For seventeen minutes.
She spent twelve of them criticizing the nursery.
“Did she?”
“She’s worried about you.”
“How thoughtful.”
Garret lowered his voice.
“Listen, Audrey.”
“Hmm?”
“When I get back, I think we should talk about some practical things.”
“Like what?”
“The house.”
There it was.
“What about it?”
“Well, now that Maya’s here, we should simplify things.”
I leaned back.
“Go on.”
“I think we should put Redwood Crest into a family trust.”
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“A family trust?”
“Yeah.”
“For whose benefit?”
“Ours.”
“That’s vague.”
He laughed.
“You always turn everything into a board meeting.”
“Occupational hazard.”
“Mom knows a great estate attorney.”
Of course she did.
“He could handle everything.”
“How convenient.”
“You’d barely need to do anything.”
I looked at the photographs of the forged deed on my laptop.
“How little?”
“Maybe sign a few papers.”
There it was.
I closed my eyes.
For one terrible moment, I wanted to ask him directly.
Were you planning to steal my house?
Did you really think I was that stupid?
Instead, I heard Natalie’s voice in my head.
Let him talk.
So I did.
“What kind of papers?”
“Nothing complicated.”
“Send them to Natalie.”
His tone changed instantly.
“Why?”
“She handles my legal documents.”
“This is family business.”
“She handles that too.”
“Audrey.”
“What?”
“Not everything needs your lawyer involved.”
I stared at Maya.
“Anything involving a property worth eight figures does.”
Silence.
Then Garret chuckled.
“You’re impossible.”
“So you’ve told me.”
“I have to go.”
“Enjoy Miami.”
“We will.”
He hung up.
Thirty seconds later, Natalie called.
I had recorded the conversation.
Colorado’s recording laws allowed me to record a conversation I was participating in.
Natalie had already listened.
“He’s nervous.”
“I know.”
“Do you want the worse news?”
“There’s worse?”
“I searched the attorney Garret mentioned.”
“And?”
“He doesn’t specialize in estate planning.”
“What does he specialize in?”
“Asset protection during divorce.”
I stopped moving.
Natalie continued.
“And Garret consulted him six weeks ago.”
Six weeks.
Before Maya was born.
Before the hospital.
Before the door code.
Before Miami.
This hadn’t started three days ago.
It had started long before.
“Can we prove that?”
“I’m working on it.”
“What should I do?”
“Nothing.”
“I hate that answer.”
“I know.”
“Closing?”
“Still moving.”
“When?”
“Eight business days if everything clears.”
“And Garret?”
“Still doesn’t need to sign.”
I looked at Maya.
Eight days.
Garret was scheduled to return in nine.
I finally understood the opportunity sitting in front of me.
“Can we close before he comes home?”
Natalie paused.
“Yes.”
“Do it.”
“Audrey.”
“Yes?”
“If we find evidence he attempted fraud involving the property, this gets much bigger.”
“I know.”
“Are you prepared for that?”
I looked down at my daughter.
Three days old.
Her father had already tried to take the roof over her head away from her mother.
“Yes.”
May you like
I wasn’t protecting a mansion anymore.
I was protecting us.
