"And if the board doesn't believe her?"
"Then they don't deserve her leadership." I hold his stare. "But I think you know exactly how they'll respond when you stand beside her."
Henry's eyes narrow slightly. Recognition. "When do you want to move?"
"As soon as possible. There needs to be an emergency board meeting. She tells them everything before Armand can weaponize it."
Henry nods slowly. "I'll make the calls. It needs to be soon enough that Armand doesn't have time to prepare a defense. Full attendance required." He moves to his desk, pulls out his phone. "And Simone? Your father would be proud of how you're handling this."
Her breath catches. Just slightly. But I hear it.
"Thank you, Henry."
We leave him making calls. Simone stares out the window at streets sliding past, unblinking.
"He's a good ally," I say.
"The best." She doesn't look at me. "My father trusted him with everything. Including me."
"Smart man."
"My father or Henry?"
"Both."
The corner of her mouth lifts. Just barely.
The operations center is fully staffed when we arrive despite the late hour. Margot coordinates with her security team. Remy's at the command station, multiple screens showing surveillance feeds and data streams.
He looks up when we enter. "How'd it go with Henry?"
"Henry wants to call an emergency board meeting," Simone says. "He's calling in the full board. We're controlling the narrative before Armand can use it."
Simone's phone buzzes. She glances at the screen, frowns. "Detective Broussard. He's asking about the interview tomorrow afternoon." She types quickly, then pockets the phone. "I told him we need to postpone. Board meeting takes priority. He understands."
"He'll want that statement soon," I say. "Building a prosecutable case."
"After I deal with Armand," she says. "One crisis at a time."
"Good." Remy gestures to the main display. "Andy's at the warehouse now. Sending updates."
"Talk to me." I open the comm line.
Andy's voice comes through the speakers. "Forensics is processing the site now. Should have preliminary results on prints and DNA within hours. Also running equipment serial numbers—if these were purchased through normal channels, we'll have a paper trail."
"Good. What about costs?"
"Professional surveillance cameras. Thousands each. Tens of thousands just in equipment."
Remy pulls up financial data on another screen. "Add the monitoring station, satellite capability, installation costs? Hundreds of thousands. Maybe more."
Simone's face goes pale. "Julien doesn't have that kind of money."
"No." I lean against the table. "But your uncle does."
"Armand has the resources," Remy says. "Has the motive. And he's connected to Julien through legal work on the exploration division."
Margot pulls up files on her tablet. "Ran what background I could on Julien LaSalle in the time we've had. Database shows multiple former partners filed restraining orders. Pattern of obsessive behavior. One ex found tracking software on her phone. Another found cameras in her apartment. All settled out of court with NDAs."
