“You look like you didn’t sleep, Claire,” Margaret said, gesturing for me to sit.

“I spent the night looking at Vanguard Sterling’s registration filings,” I said.

I placed a printed copy of Sarah’s report on her desk.

Margaret put on her reading glasses and scanned the pages.

Her brow furrowed as she reached the section on the Cayman shell companies.

“This is a classic leveraged bust-out,” Margaret said, setting her mug down. “Serena Vale is trying to bleed the remaining equity out of Adrian’s firm before the board realizes she’s broke.”

“The problem is my patents,” I said. “Adrian still has my early structural designs registered under his corporate umbrella.”

“The ones we need for the Chicago waterfront?” Margaret asked.

“Yes. If his creditors seize his assets, those patents will be tied up in litigation for years.”

Before Margaret could answer, the door to her office opened.

Julian Vance walked in, wearing a tailored charcoal suit that made him look like he belonged in a boardroom, not a construction site.

He carried a rolled-up set of site plans under his arm.