Taking the Bait

Gregory Vance knew how to work a charity crowd, though the people in the room barely needed the pitch. At this level of wealth, galas were tax write-offs and PR management. Donors wired funds, collected their press mentions, and rarely looked at where the money went downstream, leaving room for administrators like Vance to skim off the top.

Had Jude not overheard the phone call in the restroom 30 minutes earlier, Lawson Capital might have sent over a standard pledge to clear the obligation. Tonight, Vance wasn't seeing a dollar.

The host returned to the stage, gesturing toward the screens.

"Let's move straight into the live auction," the host said. "All lots tonight have been provided by our patron families, with 100% of proceeds going directly to the endowment."

Donating high-value assets to charity auctions was standard practice... it cleared garage and dock space while securing an appraised tax deduction.