Chapter 9: The Morning the Warrant Arrived
I was having coffee with my father when Arthur called.
We were at a small diner two blocks from his apartment — the kind of place with laminate menus and coffee that came in thick ceramic mugs.
My father had ordered eggs he wasn't eating.
I had ordered toast I wasn't eating.
We were mostly just sitting together, which was what we both needed.
My phone lit up on the table.
"I'll be right back," I told him.
I stepped outside into the cold.
"They executed the document request at eight this morning," Arthur said.
"Julian's attorneys received formal notice at eight-fifteen.
The AG's office also issued a preservation order — no assets can be moved, transferred, or restructured until the investigation concludes."
"Can he fight it?"
"His lawyers will try to slow it down.
But the preservation order is already in place.
The shell company transfers are frozen." A pause.
"His attorneys called my office twenty minutes ago.
They want to discuss terms."
"Terms."
"A negotiated resolution.
Cooperation in exchange for reduced exposure." Arthur's voice was neutral.
"It's their first move when they realize the evidence is solid.
It doesn't mean he's surrendering.
It means he's scared and buying time."
"What did you tell them?"
"That I would relay the contact to you and your attorney.
I'd recommend bringing in a litigation attorney now — someone who handles financial fraud specifically.
I have a name, if you want it."
"Yes."
He gave me the name.
I wrote it on the back of a receipt I found in my coat pocket.
"Arthur," I said.
"The preservation order — does it cover the estate in Lake Forest?"
"It covers all assets connected to the holding structure.
The Lake Forest property is listed as collateral on one of the Delaware accounts." A pause.
"Yes.
It's covered."
I looked back through the diner window at my father.
He had started eating his eggs.
He was looking at his plate with the careful attention of someone trying to stay in the present moment.
"There's something else," Arthur said.
"Tell me."
"Julian called Claire last night.
She came to the Lake Forest house this morning, before the document request arrived.
A neighbor — someone who knows your situation — called to let me know.
Claire left carrying boxes."
"She was removing things."
"The preservation order was not yet in effect when she arrived.
Whatever she took before eight this morning is a problem." He paused.
"But the neighbor also took photographs.
Time-stamped.
Claire loading boxes into her car at six forty-five AM." Another pause.
"Genevieve, if those boxes contained documents or physical assets connected to the holding structure, she just made herself part of this."
I closed my eyes briefly.
"She didn't know," I said.
"Julian sent her in before the order landed.
He used her."
"Possibly.
That will be for investigators to determine." Arthur's voice was careful.
"But the photographs exist.
And the timeline is very clear."
I went back inside and sat down across from my father.
He looked up.
"Good news or bad?"
"Both," I said.
He nodded slowly, the way he did when he was preparing himself.
"Tell me the bad first."
"Claire may have taken documents from the house this morning.
Before the preservation order.
Julian likely sent her."
My father set down his fork.
"He used his own sister."
"Yes."
"And the good?"
"The order is in place.
Everything is frozen.
His lawyers are already asking to negotiate." I wrapped both hands around my coffee mug.
"It's moving, Dad."
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then he reached across the table and put his hand over mine.
"Your mother would have been so angry," he said quietly.
"And so proud."
I didn't trust myself to speak for a moment.
"I know," I said finally.
My phone buzzed again.
A text from a number I didn't recognize — different from Julian's unknown number.
*This is Claire.
I need to talk to you.
Not for Julian.
For me.
Please.*
I stared at the message.
My father watched my face.
"What is it?"
I turned the phone so he could read it.
He read it twice.
May you like
Then he looked up at me.
"What are you going to do?"
