I stepped into the room, Lydia and Malcolm following closely behind me.

Sloane set her glass down so hard the stem nearly snapped.

“This is my home,” Sloane said, her voice rising. “You can’t just walk in here.”

Malcolm stepped forward, showing his badge and the court order.

“Deputy Malcolm, court-appointed probate investigator,” he said.

“We are here to secure estate property under a suspicion of illegal removal and distribution.”

Evan let out a short, nervous laugh.

“This is a misunderstanding, Deputy,” Evan said, stepping toward us.

“The estate is currently in probate, and as Claire’s husband, I have administrative authority.”

“You have nothing,” Lydia said.

She stepped past me and laid a copy of my father’s actual will on the table.

“Your administrative authority was revoked six months ago by Arthur Hayes himself,” Lydia said.

Vivian closed her ledger with a dull thud.

“That is impossible,” Vivian said, her voice cold and deliberate.

“Arthur was not in his right mind during his final months.”

“We have medical records to prove he was fully competent,” Lydia replied.