“Jessica has always spoken highly of you. We’re pleased you’ve come to us for help.”
Faraday gave me a smile, thankful and nervous.
“That’s quite a contract your brother signed,” Veronica said.
“For sure.” A puzzled pause. “Wait. How’d you get hold of it?”
“Opposing counsel’s server is unforgivably insecure.”
Faraday looked impressed, and took a sip of coffee.
In fact, the contract had been retrieved from her phone. I’d known Faraday’s passcode since freshman orientation. Last week, I’d copied every relevant document Marlow had forwarded, and much more.
“Can you get the deal thrown out?” she asked.
“In a just world, perhaps,” Aunt Veronica said. “Your business partners persuaded your brother to accept a radical change in terms, to your family’s disadvantage, weeks after the death of his father. Misrepresentation and abuse of trust.”
“And Marlow being useless.”
“Diminished capacity might be an argument. But your familydidmake him your business manager.”
“Oh, we’realluseless,” Faraday said. “Marlow told me about those other things. But he says a lawsuit’s going to take too long.”
“Years,” Garrett came in. “The other side will delay at every step. And while the fight is underway, they’ll strip your father’s company for parts. By the time you take back what’s yours, it will be worthless and laden with debt.”
Faraday made a hungover whimper. She didn’t need convincing that things were bad; she needed reassurances that we could fix it.
I placed a hand on her shoulder. “But you’ve come to us, dear. Which means you knew all that.”
Garrett nodded, pleased that I’d set things right again.
He was still testing me for New York.
“The legal system is not your answer,” Veronica said.
“I guess not.” Faraday glanced at Grandmother, who gave her another reassuring smile, needles never pausing. “I don’t know that much about all this, except that Jessica’s my friend.”
“She is,” Veronica said. “And you will continue to know very little.”
“Fine with me. So what happens next, if I agree?”
“You go back to Helshire. Your family lawyers lodge their protests as planned.” Aunt Veronica’s words became solemn and slow, as they had when she’d introduced me at my curae. “After an appropriate interval, your business partners will concede, declaring the contract null and void. They will express remorse. They will pay court costs. They will relinquish their stake in your father’s firm. Henceforth, when you arrive at a business function, dinner party, or church service where they are present, they will gather their coats and depart.”
“Shit,” Faraday said.
“Yes,” my aunt replied.
“Sounds great, if it works.”
“It works,” Garrett said.
“So how do you…get paid?”
Aunt Veronica reached for a leather briefcase next to the table. It opened with aclick, and she withdrew a piece of paper and a fountain pen.
She slid the paper across the table to Faraday.
Faraday picked it up, examining both sides.
