Page 113 of Collateral Love
Xavier told me a man in a gray suit said her full name, but she didn’t flinch. She took the envelope, scanned the header, and handed it to her assistant without breaking stride.
“Cancel my two o’clock,” she said calmly. “And call my attorney.”
Footage of her being served went viral on social media. There was no sound, but speculation bloomed in the comments like mold.
I stood in the war room in Kenya, and I’s home watching the playback on mute, jaw locked so tight my temples ached.
“They want her rattled,” Joel said. “They want optics.”
“They want leverage,” I corrected. “Optics is just the wrapper.”
Xavier didn’t look away from his screen. “Notice the timing.”
“Explain,” I said.
“They served her twelve minutes after the west accounts locked,” he replied. “That’s coordination. Legal doesn’t move that fast without prep.”
I exhaled through my nose.
Meaning whoever was shaping this had access to both sides of the board.
Miles stepped closer, voice even. “That doesn’t necessarily mean internal. Could be a coincidence.”
Xavier finally looked at him.
“Coincidence is lazy,” he said. “And I promise you I won’t think twice about putting a bullet between a motherfucka’s eyes behind my angel.”
The room tightened.
I turned to Joel. “Pull every ethics complaint filed in the last ten years against Charles’s shell nonprofits. Cross-reference donors.”
Joel nodded. “Already running.”
I looked at Channy. “How’s your mental?”
She lifted her chin. “They don’t get me panicked.”
“That’s not what I asked,” I said.
She met my eyes. “I’m angry. But I’m still clear.”
Good.
Anger sharpened her.
Fear would’ve dulled her.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I answered without speaking.
“Mr. King,” a woman said smoothly. “This is Assistant District Attorney Feldman.”
I closed my eyes briefly.
Here we go, I thought.
