Clara watched me from the front passenger seat, her eyes reflecting the green light of her own tablet.

“It is a private LLC,” Marcus said after a moment. “Created four years ago. The sole trustee is listed as a nominee corporation in the Cayman Islands.”

“Who signed the incorporation documents for the nominee?” I asked.

“Let’s see,” Marcus murmured. “A lawyer named Gregory Tate. He used to do private estate planning for Daniel Carter.”

I felt a cold sensation of certainty settle in my chest.

“Daniel didn’t steal the patents to save King Enterprises,” I said. “He stole them to leverage against Elias.”

“If that is true, the transfer Elias signed today is technically void because King Enterprises didn’t own the subsidiary,” Marcus said.

“Unless we prove the subsidiary was funded with stolen corporate capital,” I replied. “Then the court will pierce the corporate veil and return the patents to the estate.”

“That takes months, Ava,” Marcus warned. “Your launch is tomorrow morning.”

“We aren’t waiting for a court,” I said. “We are going to the board.”