To his right was his mother, Margaret, her hands clutching a designer leather handbag like a shield.

Their attorney, a sharp-featured man named Miller, sat at the end of the table.

A court reporter adjusted her machine in the corner of the room.

No one spoke.

The silence was thick and hostile.

Arthur opened his briefcase and took out several neat stacks of paper.

“We are on the record,” the court reporter announced.

Arthur looked across the table at Daniel.

“Mr. Carter, let us begin with the financial disclosures you submitted last month,” Arthur said.

He handed a document across the glass.

“You stated under oath that Carter Logistics had a net valuation of four million dollars,” Arthur said.

“That is correct,” Daniel said.

His voice was tight, his jaw clenched.

“And you stated you held no personal offshore accounts,” Arthur continued.

“Yes,” Daniel said.

“And that your parents had no financial involvement in the business beyond a standard startup loan,” Arthur said.

Richard leaned forward, resting his liver-spotted hands on the table.

“My wife and I provided a simple family loan ten years ago,” Richard said. “This is a matter of public record.”