Silas Greer

Claire was not arrested that morning.

Roslyn took her statement, warned her twice, and let her leave with June under Maribel's supervision because prosecutors liked cooperative witnesses better than dramatic handcuffs when children were watching.

June did not thank anyone. She walked beside Claire without touching her.

Ruby waited by the lobby vending machines, wrapped in a hospital jacket. When June passed, Ruby stood.

"Can I say one thing?" Ruby asked.

June stopped. "One."

"Claire raised you. I gave birth to you. Vivian used both facts. You do not owe either of us a decision today."

June's mouth tightened. "That was three things."

Ruby almost smiled. "I am out of practice."

Claire looked at Ruby then, really looked. "Thank you."

Ruby nodded, but she did not forgive. Elise respected that.

In the conference room, Theo had laid out the public files from Mara's dump and the cleaner evidence from Vivian's drive. Two piles: admissible and useful. They were not the same.

"The public leak helps reputation pressure," Theo said. "Court will need originals, metadata, witness statements, banking logs."

"And my identity?" Elise asked.

"Temporary restoration hearing this afternoon. Roslyn pushed it."

"Can they deny I am me while using my alleged signatures against me?"

"They can try. Institutions enjoy contradictions when forms permit them."

Adam came in with a banker box. He looked like a man carrying his own sentence.

"Debt ledger," he said. "Original. Not Vivian's copy."

Roslyn took it. "Where was it?"

"My storage locker. Martin told me to destroy it last night. I did not."

"Why?" Elise asked.

Adam looked toward the door where June had gone. "Because she asked whether everyone in this family sells the person below them."

No one answered.

The ledger named Dane Lott, Mercer Private, and a donor called Silas Greer.

Theo tapped Greer's name. "Private lender. Foundation donor. Owns the jet Martin planned to use."

Elise read the last column.

Greer was also listed as beneficiary on three disputed client policies.