Chapter 7
The Moretti acquisitions committee reviewed every Harbor Crest transaction without Logan present.
They found five more deals where Harbor Crest had appeared somewhere around a Moretti bid.
Not always as winner.
Sometimes as backup buyer.
Sometimes acquiring an option before selling it elsewhere.
No one accused them of wrongdoing simply for competing.
The important question was whether they possessed confidential Moretti information.
One broker finally produced an email.
Harbor Crest principal Andrew Mercer had written before the Tarrytown bid:
We understand Moretti stops at 9.1. Recommend 9.2 and no more.
Rebecca read the sentence aloud.
Rafael looked at the broker.
“Where did Mercer get nine-one?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you tell him?”
“No.”
“Did the seller?”
“Seller knew your latest offer was eight-eight. Not your ceiling.”
“Anyone else?”
The broker shook his head.
Harbor Crest’s attorney argued that “understand” did not identify a source.
Correct.
Then metadata from Logan’s phone supplied something stronger.
Minutes after one red folder arrived at the estate, Logan photographed two pages.
The image itself had been deleted months earlier.
A device backup retained a thumbnail and file data sufficient to identify the red cover, Rafael’s handwriting, and the acquisition address.
Forty-three minutes later Logan called Andrew Mercer.
The next morning Harbor Crest increased its bid.
Still circumstantial in isolation.
Not anymore.
Another backup showed Logan forwarding a photo of the Long Island City ceiling to Cassandra.
Her reply:
That’s the real top?
Logan:
His handwriting.
Cassandra:
Then tell A to stay just above and stop.
A.
Andrew Mercer.
Rafael put the phone down.
That was the first direct evidence tying Cassandra to the bidding information.
Rebecca continued.
Another message, three months later:
Cassandra:
Lucy saw you with the folder again.
Logan:
She’s six.
Cassandra:
She repeats everything.
Logan:
Then keep her out of the service hall.
Cassandra:
I am.
No discussion of harming the child.
No order from Logan to use the freezer.
That distinction remained.
Logan was part of the secrecy.
Cassandra chose the abuse.
Then Logan wrote:
If Rafael ever audits the Harbor deals, we’re finished here.
Cassandra answered:
He won’t. He trusts you with acquisitions and me with his house.
Rafael read that sentence more slowly than the others.
They had divided his trust into two access points.
Logan had the business.
May you like
Cassandra had the home.
Lucy lived where those two systems accidentally met.
