Chapter 5 - The Gathering of the Wolves
At 2:00 PM, the grand conference room on the thirty-second floor of Klein & Associates overflowed with tension.
David Klein sat at the head of the long mahogany table. To his right sat Patricia, Rachel Monroe, and an attorney Rachel had frantically hired during the break—a sharp, aggressive young litigator named Marcus Vance. To David’s left sat Julian and myself.
The room smelled of fresh ink, dry carpet, and rich leather. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the Atlanta skyline stretched into the grey overcast sky.
David cleared his throat, adjusting a stack of legal folders. "We are gathered here for the preliminary reading of the last will and testament of Michael Edward Harrington, as well as the execution of the inter vivos trusts established prior to his passing."
Marcus Vance immediately leaned forward, tapping his pen on the table. "My client, Rachel Monroe, representing the minor child Tyler Monroe, expects immediate recognition of the deeds signed yesterday transferring eight commercial and residential properties, as well as three vehicle titles, into the Tyler Monroe Irrevocable Trust."
Patricia nodded approvingly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Michael made his intentions perfectly clear before he died. He wanted his son provided for."
"He certainly did," David said, sliding a copy of the transfer deeds toward me. "Eleanor, while I understand this is painful for you, Michael exercised his legal rights regarding properties held under corporate entities where he maintained sole managerial authority. Under state law, these transfers do not require a spouse's signature."
I didn't reach for the papers. I didn't even glance down at them.
Instead, I turned my gaze toward the door at the far end of the conference room.
"You are correct, David," I said calmly. "Under standard corporate law, sole managerial authority allows for independent asset transfers. However, that rule assumes the corporate entities were legally formed, properly capitalized, and operated without systemic fraud."
David frowned. "What are you talking about?"
At that exact moment, the heavy double doors opened.
A woman in a sharp navy blue pantsuit walked into the room, followed by two young men carrying heavy, locked leather briefcases. The woman had sharp grey hair pulled back into a tight bun, and her eyes held the razor-like intensity of an apex predator.
David Klein gasped, dropping his pen. "Victoria... Victoria Sterling?"
Victoria Sterling was the managing partner of Sterling, Cross & Mercer—the most feared forensic accounting and asset recovery firm in the southeastern United States. Her retainer fee alone was more than most corporate executives earned in a year.
"Good afternoon, David," Victoria said smoothly, setting her leather briefcase on the table right next to mine. "I apologize for the slight delay. Traffic on Peachtree was atrocious."
Rachel’s lawyer, Marcus Vance, stood up abruptly. "What is the meaning of this? This is a private family estate reading!"
"It was a private family estate reading," Victoria corrected, opening her briefcase and pulling out three thick stacks of legal filings bearing the gold seal of the Fulton County Superior Court. "Until forty-five minutes ago, when we served an emergency ex parte injunction halting all transfer of assets belonging to Michael Harrington, Harrington Enterprises, and all subsidiary shell entities."
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Patricia gasped, grabbing her chest. "You can't do that! Michael’s body isn't even in the ground yet!"
"Michael’s body is precisely where it belongs," Victoria said coldly, sliding a court order across the table directly into David Klein’s trembling hands. "And as of 1:15 PM today, his entire financial estate has been frozen by court order."
