Nathan paused, his eyes narrowing slightly under the brim of his hard hat.

“A delay?” he asked.

“Just a security hold,” I said, forcing a tight smile. “I need to call my attorney to clear it up. Give me ten minutes.”

Nathan looked back at the crew, who were currently securing heavy nylon straps through the window frames of the dining room.

“We can’t leave these sections dangling in the air, Alexandra,” he said quietly. “Once we start the lift, they have to go straight onto the flatbeds.”

“I know,” I said. “Ten minutes, Nathan. I’ll have it sorted.”

He nodded once, slowly, and walked back toward the diesel generator.

I walked quickly toward the shade of a large live oak at the edge of the property line.

The air smelled of cedar, dry earth, and the sharp tang of exhaust from the flatbed trucks.

I speed-dialed Gloria Vance.

She answered on the second ring, her voice crisp and devoid of any polite preamble.

“Alexandra. Tell me the cranes are working.”

“They’re working,” I said. “But Richard just emptied our joint savings.”