Chapter 9
The manifests eventually exposed a second business.
Diane’s warehouse had been storing collateral for a private lending company Marcus? No, Preston.
Preston had quietly invested in a specialty lender that issued short-term loans to jewelers, dealers, and collectors.
Gemstones frequently served as collateral.
The business itself was legal.
The conflict of interest was not disclosed to Isabella.
Several stones originating from Caradonna-managed pieces appeared to match photographs in collateral files.
Rachel cautioned everyone.
“Similarity isn’t identification.”
Claire agreed.
Loose gemstones could resemble one another.
They needed laboratory characteristics.
The lender’s attorneys eventually produced records under pressure from insurers and affected clients.
Two stones matched.
They were original Caradonna collection stones removed during “restoration.”
Preston had used them as collateral to support loans made through his private company.
Diane’s warehouse had held them.
The replacement stones remained inside the family jewelry.
Isabella stared at Preston’s loan reports.
“He borrowed against our assets?”
“Not exactly,” Rachel said.
“He used the stones to support a business that wasn’t his to support.”
The money had not gone directly into Preston’s pocket.
It had kept several struggling jewelry businesses alive.
One belonged to a longtime family friend.
Another employed nearly forty people.
That complicated motive without excusing anything.
Then they found something worse.
One collateral stone had disappeared from the lender’s records.
The loan defaulted.
The stone had been sold.
It could not simply be returned.
Diane requested a meeting.
This time Isabella agreed.
Diane arrived without jewelry.
No diamond earrings.
No family brooch.
Nothing.
“I need you to understand why this started.”
Isabella folded her arms.
“You can explain after you tell me why Sophie had a replica in her pocket.”
Diane closed her eyes.
“That part was mine.”
Preston looked at his mother.
She continued.
“We needed the gallery emptied for ten minutes.”
“For what?”
Diane glanced toward Preston.
He looked terrified again.
May you like
Not because Isabella might hit him.
Because Diane was finally about to tell her something he had spent months trying to keep hidden.
