Chapter 8: The Unexpected Visitor
The figure stepping out of the shadowed hallway into the firelight was not a domestic servant or a local caretaker. It was Richard Vance, Julian’s estranged cousin and a senior managing director at the investment firm, wearing a tailored wet-weather overcoat that suggested he had walked up from the lower gate rather than driving a car.
"Burning the midnight oil, Cousin?" Richard’s voice carried a thin, mocking edge as he stepped toward the reading table, his eyes darting quickly from the spread-out manuscripts to Julian’s tense posture. "And who is this? Another one of Julian’s charity cases drafted from the service industry?"
Julian stepped smoothly in front of the table, placing himself between Richard and the documents with quiet, formidable authority. "Keep your voice down, Richard. And state your business. You aren't welcome at this estate without an invitation."
"My business concerns the solvency of the foundation," Richard replied smoothly, unbuttoning his overcoat but making no move to take it off. He cast a sharp, dismissive glance in my direction. "Word is floating through the financial district that the upcoming quarterly audit has been thrown into chaos because of some hysterical claims made by a temporary employee. The board is getting nervous, Julian. If the SEC catches wind that we're sitting on a collection of compromised antiquities, our stock will plummet before the week is out."
"The audit is uncovering fraud that should have been addressed years ago," Julian said, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous register. "And as for my staff, Clara Hayes is my chief antiquities consultant. Anything she finds, she finds with my explicit authorization."
Richard let out a short, humorless laugh, though his eyes remained cold and calculating. "A waitress turned historian. How wonderfully poetic. But poetry doesn't balance a multi-million-dollar portfolio, Julian. Marcus Cole has already filed a preemptive libel suit against the foundation, claiming malicious interference. If you continue this ridiculous investigation into the family collection, you'll be handing your enemies the very weapon they need to oust you as chairman."
"Let them sue," I said, stepping out from behind Julian’s shoulder so Richard could see the steady, unblinking challenge in my eyes. "Truth is an absolute defense against libel, Mr. Vance. And we have the chemical analysis of the ink right here on this table to prove every fraudulent signature Marcus and his associates fabricated."
May you like
Richard’s gaze locked onto mine for a long, uncomfortable moment, the smooth corporate mask slipping slightly to reveal a flash of genuine panic. He knew as well as I did that the ink analysis was the thread that would unravel the entire syndicate.
"You're playing a very dangerous game with people who play for keeps, Miss Hayes," Richard said softly, turning on his heel. "Enjoy your little history lesson while you still can."
