“She claimed there was a misunderstanding regarding the family assets.”

“Did you talk to her?” I asked.

“Of course not,” Robert said. “I don’t speak to the opposing party’s family without their counsel present.”

“But she was persistent.”

“She kept saying that this family matters more than a legal dispute,” he said.

I looked at the salt shaker sitting on the center of the table.

It was a cheap ceramic piece I had bought at the local grocery store when we moved.

Everything in this house was simple, a stark contrast to the marble countertops in our old home.

“She’s trying to protect him,” I said.

“She always has,” Robert agreed.

“But this isn’t something she can write a check to resolve.”

“The federal government doesn’t care about the Mercer family reputation,” he said.

“What is our next step?” I asked.

“We present these findings to their legal team tomorrow morning,” Robert said.

“We demand a full deposition of Daniel regarding the off-site accounts.”

“They will try to settle before we file the public motion,” he added.

“But you need to be prepared, Claire.”