Chapter 30 - The Subpoena
Friday morning arrived with a torrential downpour, the heavy rain washing the streets of Chicago clean. It was the perfect atmospheric backdrop for the legal execution we were about to perform.
Richard Kensington had managed to evade our initial process servers for three days, hiding behind his private security detail and refusing to leave his estate. But a man with an ego that massive cannot stay in hiding forever. His lawyers had scheduled an emergency, closed-door arbitration meeting at a prestigious downtown law firm, hoping to negotiate a settlement before the federal indictment dropped.
Marcus, Daniel, and I were waiting for him in the lobby of the high-rise building.
At exactly 9:00 AM, the revolving glass doors spun, and Richard Kensington walked in. He was flanked by three aggressive-looking defense attorneys and a bodyguard. He looked terrible. His skin was pale, his eyes were bloodshot, and the charismatic veneer was completely shattered.
"There he is," Marcus noted, gripping his briefcase.
I stepped directly into Richard's path, blocking his access to the elevators. Daniel stood imposing and silent to my right, ensuring the bodyguard didn't make a move.
"Good morning, Richard," I said, my voice echoing clearly through the marble lobby.
Richard stopped dead in his tracks, his face contorting with pure, unadulterated hatred. "You. Get out of my way, you pathetic extortionist. I have a meeting."
"Your meeting is canceled," Marcus stated smoothly, stepping forward and extending a thick, sealed legal envelope. "Richard Kensington, you are hereby served with a federal subpoena compelling your immediate deposition in the civil matter of Juliet Kensington versus Kensington Holdings. Furthermore, you are formally notified of an active FBI investigation into your offshore wire fraud."
Richard stared at the envelope as if it were a venomous snake. He refused to take it.
Marcus simply dropped the envelope onto the polished marble floor at Richard's feet. "Consider yourself served."
"You think you have won?!" Richard spat, his voice rising, drawing the attention of passing executives. "You stole data! It’s inadmissible! Juliet is an unstable, ungrateful child, and I will have her committed to a psychiatric facility before I let you take a single dime of my money!"
I stepped closer to him, completely unfazed by his outburst. "You don't have any money left, Richard. The shadow ledger proved you are bankrupt. And if you ever speak of your daughter that way again, I will personally ensure your federal sentence is served in a maximum-security facility."
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Richard’s lead attorney quickly grabbed his arm, pulling him away. "Do not engage with them, Richard. Let's go."
As they retreated into the rain, I looked at Daniel. The trap had closed.
