According to the official police statement, Grant had turned himself in because he believed that they would find evidence of his embezzlement—the theft he’d claimed was the reason he’d killed Victoria.

A spokesman for the San Antonio Police Department, John Rivera, indicated that Mr. Grant had stolen more than two million dollars in funds from the business he co-owned with Ms. Mills and Mr. Corta. “We have a full confession,” Officer Rivera said. “Mr. Grant stole $2.1 million from the company and when Ms. Mills confronted him, he killed her. He said his guilt prompted his confession, in addition to the fact that the SAPD had a warrant for all financial records of the holding company.”

It made sense … until Sean uncovered the fact that the funds hadn’t disappeared until five days after Victoria was killed. Max wanted to ask Grant bluntly why he lied, why he confessed, and why he recanted his statement.

Grover and his wife, Judith, had both turned seventy this year. They were good people, self-made, wealthy, and generous philanthropists. They asked Max to find the truth; how could she turn her back on them? More, she could hear her grandfather in the back of her head saying, “Reveres help family, for better or worse.” The Millses may not be blood, but her grandfather had treated them as such, and that was good enough for Max.

Maybe, she realized as she finished labeling the crime timeline that she’d attached to the wall of the suite’s office, she’d been thinking far more about family since Eve entered her life.

Sean had learned a lot over the last two months. It was true that Grant had a previous gambling problem, but he hadn’t stolen from the company before—at least that Sean could find. His confession stated that he had taken the money to cover a lost bet, but Sean hadn’t been able to find out to whom or when. If the police knew, they hadn’t shared the information publicly. The fact that the money had been taken after Victoria’s murder was a huge red flag to Max—and should have been to the police. Maybe there was a logical explanation. Maybe it would make sense when she had all the information the police had.

Yet.

Something was off.

Max glanced at her watch. She had five minutes before her meeting with Oliver Jones, Grant’s new attorney. He’d grumbled about the late hour, but Max was confident he would let her talk to his client. He just wanted her to work for it.

That was half the fun of her job.