Chapter 4 - The First Decision That Actually Cost Mara Something
Mara could have used the binders as a weapon.
Rachel stopped her.
“We don’t know what they mean yet.”
“Five projects missing from the accounting system means something.”
“Yes. It means we investigate five projects.”
Mara hated how reasonable her attorney could be.
By Thursday, Owen had reconstructed the first one.
A townhouse renovation in Manhattan had paid Hale Restoration $420,000 in advance.
The work was completed.
Vendors were paid.
Yet the project disappeared from the company’s final year-end job schedule.
The money had been routed through a subsidiary called HGR Management.
Vanessa controlled it.
Rachel’s financial consultant found the same pattern on two more projects.
Customer money came in.
Expenses were paid.
Remaining profit moved into HGR Management.
Hale Restoration itself looked weaker.
Vanessa’s subsidiary looked stronger.
Mara thought of Grant’s $3.4 million bank loan.
“Why move profit out of the company borrowing money?”
Owen had the answer.
“Because they were preparing to sell Foundry House.”
Foundry House Millwork was Hale Restoration’s most profitable subsidiary.
The company Mara’s $1.6 million had helped acquire.
Grant never told her it was for sale.
Neither had Vanessa.
Owen believed the family planned to move several profitable client relationships into HGR Management before the sale.
The old company would carry debt.
The related entity would retain value.
“Asset stripping?” Mara asked.
Rachel shook her head.
“Maybe. Don’t outrun the documents.”
The documents were already moving fast enough.
Mara’s separate investment was secured by Hale Restoration assets, including certain rights connected to Foundry House.
If Grant transferred value out of the company while her note remained unpaid, she could declare a default.
Doing so would protect her.
It could also push Grant’s company into a liquidity crisis and threaten eighty-two employees.
Mara spent a night staring at the ceiling.
She had every reason to be furious.
Anger did not pay someone else’s mortgage.
The next morning she made a narrower choice.
Through Rachel, Mara sent a formal demand for information and notice prohibiting further extraordinary asset transfers without disclosure.
She did not accelerate the note.
Not yet.
Grant called.
“You had lawyers send something to the bank?”
“I sent something to you.”
“The bank knows.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have given them a financial statement saying my house was yours.”
Grant lowered his voice.
“You’re going to wreck everything.”
Mara looked at the empty space beside her bed where his shoes used to be.
“Did you sign my name?”
“No.”
It was the first direct answer he had given.
She almost felt relief.
Then he added:
“I didn’t need to.”
Mara sat completely still.
“What does that mean?”
Grant ended the call.
Rachel called five minutes later.
“We found the notary.”
“And?”
“She remembers the document.”
Mara gripped the phone.
“Did she see me sign it?”
Rachel paused.
May you like
“No.”
The notary had been Vanessa.
