Building a Case Without a Word
The next morning, I contacted Gideon Price.
I chose him because he had once represented a business owner in a complex case involving forged agreements and hidden companies.
After reviewing the photographs, he brought in a forensic accountant named Camille Ford.
Camille reviewed the records for nearly two weeks.
What she uncovered was worse than I had imagined.
Blake had been transferring small amounts of money for almost three years. Each payment was structured to appear legitimate—consulting fees, charitable contributions, or standard business expenses.
Together, those transactions added up to more than $1.6 million.
But the money alone didn’t explain the full plan.
“We can show that the transfers were deceptive,” Camille told me during a private meeting. “What we still need is proof of why these companies were created and what they intended to do next.”
So I continued acting as though I knew nothing.
I attended family dinners.
I listened while my mother praised Blake.
I smiled when Taryn asked if Northstar might be sold soon.
I pretended not to notice when Russell kept asking about the terms of my father’s trust.
Blake grew more confident.
He started leaving documents out in the open.
He spoke freely on calls.
He stopped hiding his plans carefully because he believed I was too overwhelmed to investigate.
