‘Fear does not invalidate a signature,’ she said.
‘Neither does grief.’
Nathan spent the next hour calling every person he believed might know where Grace had gone.
Daniel Pierce answered on the fourth ring.
‘Where is she?’ Nathan demanded.
Daniel was silent for a moment.
‘I do not know.’
‘You spoke to her last night.’
‘For four minutes.’
‘You asked whether she was happy.’
‘I did.’
‘Why?’
‘Because she looked afraid when you touched her arm.’
Nathan rose from the chair.
‘Be careful, Daniel.’
‘Is that a warning?’
‘It is advice.’
Daniel’s voice became quieter.
‘You left your wife in the rain, and now you are threatening the man who noticed she was unhappy.
You just answered the question I asked her.’
Nathan ended the call.
By noon, his attorney had reviewed Miriam’s documents and advised him not to contact Grace directly.
Nathan ignored the advice.
He sent an email to Grace’s private account.
Come home.
We will discuss this like adults.
The message was returned with an automatic notice directing all communication to counsel.
He sent flowers to Miriam’s office.
Grace refused delivery.
He offered to place one of the city apartments at her disposal.
She declined.
He offered a driver, a security detail, and access to any Blackwell property she chose.
Miriam responded with one sentence.
Grace is not seeking a more comfortable version of the same arrangement.
That evening, Nathan instructed the bank to suspend activity on their largest joint account until he could determine whether Grace was making what he called impulsive withdrawals.
The action triggered an immediate notification to Miriam.
By the next morning, she had filed an emergency motion accusing him of using financial control to force contact.
Nathan’s attorney called him before sunrise.
‘Reverse the hold.’
‘It is my account.’
‘It is jointly held.’
‘She walked out.’
‘You ordered her out of your vehicle, left her miles from home, and then froze money after she filed.
Those facts will not improve when spoken aloud in court.’
Nathan looked across the bedroom at Grace’s empty side of the closet.
‘She is making this look worse than it was.’
His attorney exhaled.
‘The hotel has video.’
Nathan said nothing.
‘The valet saw her ask you not to leave.
The cab company has a trip record showing she arrived at the Lake Forest estate after midnight.
The driver remembers her condition.
Your home system shows you did not return until after she left.
Your security chief has preserved the instruction you gave him to track her.
There is also Daniel Pierce’s statement about your call.’
Nathan closed his eyes.
