Again, important.
Facts before punishment.
Paige arrived that afternoon with an attorney.
Good.
I was relieved.
A lawyer meant less improvisation.
She did not look at me at first.
Then she saw the bruise.
Her jaw tightened.
Not remorse exactly.
Something defensive.
Miriam led the interview.
The spa treatments?
Paige admitted booking them.
She claimed she believed the membership could be used by immediate family after I authorized her once.
“Then why did approvals appear under Marian’s name?” Miriam asked.
Paige’s attorney leaned closer.
Paige answered:
“Because Juniper House kept requiring authorization.”
“So you authorized yourself?”
“I used the administrative account.”
“While representing the approval as coming from Marian?”
“I did not type her name manually.”
“The account profile populated it.”
“Did you know that?”
Paige hesitated.
“Yes.”
Miriam nodded.
“Duplicate reimbursement?”
Paige claimed accounting confusion.
Fourteen charges had gone through Northstar’s wellness card and her consulting invoices.
“Why?”
“I submitted monthly expenses in batches.”
“Did you reconcile them first?”
“No.”
“Were you paid twice?”
“Yes.”
“Did you notice?”
Paige’s face tightened.
“Not immediately.”
“When did you notice?”
Silence.
Her attorney said:
“Answer only if you know.”
Paige looked down.
“After the fifth or sixth.”
Celeste went still.
Miriam’s voice remained flat.
“And you continued submitting?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I assumed it would be netted later.”
Celeste spoke for the first time.
“You never informed finance.”
“No.”
That was bad.
Not because it proved some grand criminal scheme.
Because once she noticed, continuing removed the possibility of pure accident.
The jewelry?
Paige provided two client names for some items.
Others had no documentation.
Restaurant expenses?
Some legitimate.
Some personal.
The twenty-five-thousand-dollar advance?
She had partial work.
A presentation.
Brand analysis.
No evidence worth the full advance yet.
Then the restructuring draft.
Paige looked at Grant’s empty chair.
“He asked me to prepare options.”
Miriam nodded.
“Did he ask you to award ten percent to your company?”
“No.”
“Why did you include it?”
“Compensation.”
“For what?”
“Long-term strategic work.”
“Who valued that equity?”
“I estimated.”
“Using what methodology?”
Paige’s jaw tightened.
“Comparable consulting arrangements.”
“Provide them.”
“I will.”
“Who chose the family weekend as expected signature timing?”
Paige did not answer.
Her attorney whispered.
Then Paige said:
“I did.”
I watched her.
“Why?”
This time Miriam looked toward me.
