Chapter 1 - THE HOUSE HE HAD ALREADY GIVEN AWAY
At 9:14 the next morning, Valerie received the message that changed the divorce before Gavin had even formally served her.
It came from Evelyn Park, an attorney in downtown San Diego.
DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING GAVIN GIVES YOU. CALL ME IMMEDIATELY. I FOUND THE DOCUMENT YOUR MOTHER FILED THREE YEARS AGO.
Valerie locked the greenhouse door.
Isabelle was at preschool.
Gavin had already left for work, walking out of the kitchen after drinking the coffee Valerie made him as though he had not spent the previous afternoon planning to replace her.
Valerie called.
Evelyn answered immediately.
“Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“Your husband filed for divorce yesterday morning.”
“I know.”
“He also submitted documents claiming the house is entirely separate property belonging to his mother.”
Valerie looked around the kitchen.
She had painted those cabinets.
Installed the herb window.
Paid for the roof repair from her plant business.
“So he told the truth about one thing.”
“Not exactly.”
Valerie went still.
Three years earlier, Miriam had come down from Oregon after Isabelle was born.
Gavin’s construction business had been struggling.
Florence was nearly six months behind on the mortgage for the house, though neither Gavin nor Florence had admitted that to Valerie.
Miriam discovered it.
She advanced $410,000 to prevent foreclosure and complete several repairs.
Valerie remembered the meeting.
Miriam had insisted everyone sign documents.
Gavin complained for hours.
Florence called it insulting.
Valerie barely paid attention because Isabelle had been three months old and refusing to sleep.
“What document did Mom file?” Valerie asked.
“A Declaration of Beneficial Interest and Reimbursement Agreement.”
Valerie sat down.
Evelyn continued.
“It states that although Florence remained the titled owner, your mother supplied the funds necessary to preserve the property. In exchange, Florence acknowledged that you held a fifty-percent beneficial interest in the home.”
Valerie stopped breathing.
“And there’s more. Gavin signed it.”
“He signed?”
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means his current filing conveniently forgot to mention that the house may not belong solely to his mother.”
Valerie almost laughed.
Gavin had given her three weeks to leave a house he had already acknowledged she partly owned.
“Why didn’t I know?”
“Your mother told me not to involve you unless the marriage ended or somebody attempted to dispose of the property.”
“That sounds like Mom.”
“There’s another clause. If Florence sells or transfers the house without satisfying your interest, the proceeds become subject to the agreement.”
Valerie frowned.
“Why are you saying ‘if’?”
Evelyn became quiet.
“Because I ordered a title search last night.”
Valerie’s fingers tightened around the phone.
“And?”
“The house changed ownership forty-eight hours before Gavin filed for divorce.”
Valerie stood.
“To whom?”
“A limited liability company called Blue Harbor Residential.”
“Who owns it?”
“I had my investigator pull the filing.”
Evelyn sent the document.
Valerie opened it.
For several seconds, she simply stared.
Blue Harbor Residential LLC.
Managing Member:
CHLOE STERLING.
Gavin had not merely planned to move his mistress into Valerie’s house.
He had already transferred the house to her.
The purchase price listed on the deed was ten dollars.
Valerie slowly lowered the phone.
Then Evelyn said:
“Valerie, that’s not the part that worries me most.”
“What is?”
“Yesterday, Gavin also requested a temporary financial order against you.”
“For what?”
“He claims you’ve been secretly moving marital money into your plant company.”
Valerie almost smiled.
Her plant company was the only reason their household had remained comfortable during Gavin’s worst business years.
“How much does he say I took?”
“One hundred eighty-six thousand dollars.”
Valerie stopped smiling.
Because that number was familiar.
It was almost exactly what had disappeared from her business operating account three weeks earlier.
Her accountant had assumed it was a banking error.
Now Valerie understood.
May you like
Gavin had taken the money himself.
And he was preparing to accuse her of stealing it.
