Across the mahogany, Arthur Vance’s senior associate smoothed out a three-page legal document backed in heavy blue cover stock.

“Fourteen thousand dollars is generous for someone with no formal degree,” the attorney said, placing his gold fountain pen beside the paper.

Grant sat to his left, looking down at his phone while turning the pages of a bound sheaf of property deeds.

Caroline looked at line four on the second page, where the figure was typed inside a narrow rectangular box.

“I spent seven years drawing every architectural layout and structural revision for the Elmwood properties,” Caroline said.