Chapter 11 - Garrett Falls
The agents did not arrest Garrett that afternoon.
Not yet.
They collected devices.
Documents.
Access records.
They interviewed Martin for nearly four hours.
By evening, Martin's attorney was discussing cooperation.
Garrett left Pacific Harbor through a side entrance.
Cameras still found him.
For years, Garrett had cultivated an image of effortless control.
The photographs published that night showed him with one hand blocking his face.
Brooke did not enjoy them.
She expected satisfaction.
Instead, she felt exhausted.
Grace and June were nine days old.
They did not care about Project Crown.
They cared about warmth, milk, sleep, and being held.
Brooke began structuring her days around those simpler truths.
Garrett's collapse accelerated anyway.
Pacific Harbor terminated him for cause after the special committee found overwhelming evidence of undisclosed conflicts involving Beacon, misused reimbursement authority, and participation in unauthorized financial transactions.
Martin resigned and entered a cooperation agreement with federal investigators.
The $8 million remained frozen and was eventually returned.
Meridian withdrew its $3.1 billion acquisition proposal, publicly stating that the company's internal governance situation required resolution.
Privately, Walter believed Meridian feared discovery scrutiny.
No evidence established that Meridian executives had authorized Garrett's illegal tactics.
That distinction mattered.
Brooke insisted they keep it.
"Don't turn suspicion into fact because it's convenient," she told Walter.
He looked almost proud.
She frowned.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Look at me like I'm finally becoming useful."
Walter's face fell.
"That isn't what I meant."
"I know. But it's what your face said."
He nodded.
"I'm learning."
Slowly.
They both were.
Kendra cooperated too.
Her lawyer negotiated with prosecutors.
She admitted concealing Beacon ownership and participating in misleading communications.
She also provided original files proving Garrett directed forged evidence.
She did not escape consequences.
Beacon closed.
Clients terminated contracts.
Her professional reputation collapsed.
Brooke considered that fair.
Consequences did not require hatred.
Three weeks after the birth, Garrett appeared at a supervised parenting visit.
The family court had not denied him contact with Grace and June.
His fraud allegations were serious, but criminal accusations did not automatically erase parental rights.
Brooke understood that intellectually.
Emotionally, she hated the first visit.
A court-approved supervisor sat in the room.
Garrett entered without a suit.
Gray sweater.
Dark jeans.
He looked younger.
Smaller.
Grace was awake.
June slept.
Garrett stared at them.
"May I?"
The supervisor looked at Brooke.
She nodded.
Garrett lifted Grace carefully.
His eyes filled.
Brooke looked away.
"You named her Grace," he said.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I needed some."
He almost smiled.
Then Grace wrapped her hand around his finger.
Garrett began crying silently.
Brooke had never seen him cry.
Not at funerals.
Not when his own father died.
Not even when Kendra's son was born, apparently.
"Brooke."
She looked at him.
"I love them."
She believed him.
That did not save him.
"I know."
His face crumpled more.
"Do you?"
"Love isn't the only thing children need."
He closed his eyes.
"I made mistakes."
Brooke felt anger rise instantly.
"Mistakes?"
He looked at her.
"Don't reduce decisions to mistakes because you're ashamed of the consequences."
The supervisor watched quietly.
Garrett swallowed.
"I don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything."
He looked at Grace.
After several minutes he whispered, "I thought I was fixing my life."
Brooke almost answered.
Then she realized it was the most honest thing Garrett had said.
He had been fixing his life.
As if his wife, her father, employees, bank accounts, reputations, and children were pieces of machinery arranged around his ambition.
"You kept treating people like obstacles," Brooke said.
Garrett looked up.
"I know."
"Do you?"
"I do now."
June began crying.
Garrett instinctively looked toward her.
Brooke picked her up.
For one strange moment, they stood side by side holding their daughters.
A family in form.
Not in truth.
Garrett whispered, "I didn't know there were two."
Brooke looked at him.
"I know."
"I would've done things differently."
That sentence infuriated her more than anything.
"You mean if you'd known there were two babies worth losing?"
"No."
"Then what?"
He struggled.
"I don't know."
"Exactly."
The visit ended.
At the door, Garrett turned.
"The $250,000 check."
Brooke's expression hardened.
"What about it?"
"Did you cash it?"
"No."
"Why?"
"It's evidence."
He flinched.
"It was supposed to help."
"No. It was supposed to purchase surrender."
Garrett looked away.
"You made your point."
Brooke almost laughed.
"You still think this is about winning."
He left.
Two days later, federal prosecutors unsealed charges.
Wire fraud.
Conspiracy.
Aggravated identity theft related to Walter's authentication credentials.
Corporate funds misappropriation.
Garrett surrendered through counsel.
Martin was charged too, though his cooperation was expected to affect sentencing.
Kendra faced separate fraud-related exposure.
Brooke read the news while feeding June.
Walter sat across from her.
"How do you feel?"
"Like someone else's life is happening on my phone."
He nodded.
Then her attorney called.
The divorce case had changed.
Garrett's assets were being scrutinized.
Certain accounts might be frozen.
The $250,000 cashier's check remained valid, but its funding source had become important.
Brooke asked, "Why?"
Her attorney answered.
"Because we traced it."
Brooke closed her eyes.
"Please don't tell me Pacific Harbor."
"Not directly."
"Then where?"
There was a pause.
"Garrett funded the check by liquidating an investment account."
Brooke exhaled.
Then the lawyer continued.
"The account wasn't his."
Brooke looked at Walter.
"Whose?"
Her attorney answered.
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