Chapter 4 - THE CRATE MARKED D-47
Lucien Moreau received Camille's call at twelve seventeen.
He answered on the second ring.
"Miss Thibodeaux."
"They fired me."
Silence.
"Who?"
"The auction house."
Lucien's voice cooled.
"Why?"
"Because I asked questions."
He exhaled.
"Where are you?"
"Outside the building."
"Stay there."
Camille frowned.
"I'm not asking you to rescue me."
"I know."
"Then why are you coming?"
"Because I have questions too."
Lucien arrived fifteen minutes later.
No dramatic motorcade.
Just a black sedan and a driver.
He stepped out wearing a dark coat.
Camille folded her arms.
"You're late."
He raised an eyebrow.
"By whose schedule?"
"Mine."
For the first time, Lucien smiled.
"Fair enough."
She showed him her father's note.
He read it carefully.
Then looked up.
"Inventory that doesn't belong."
Camille nodded.
"I think he meant a crate."
"Which crate?"
"D-47."
Lucien's expression changed.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes."
He looked toward the auction house.
"That crate was supposed to have been destroyed."
Camille stared.
"What?"
"Eight years ago. After the fire."
Her heart pounded.
"Then why is it here?"
Lucien's jaw tightened.
"That's what we need to find out."
Lucien didn't storm the building.
He didn't threaten the guards.
Instead, he called an attorney.
Within hours, Camille had legal representation.
The attorney requested preservation of records connected to the disputed manuscript and crate D-47.
That evening, Camille sat across from Lucien in his office overlooking the Mississippi River.
"Why are you helping me?"
He considered.
"Because I owe your father."
"Why?"
Lucien looked toward the water.
"Eight years ago, he warned me that someone was using historical property records to conceal modern financial crimes."
Camille stared.
"What kind of crimes?"
"Fraud. False ownership claims. Money moved through shell companies."
"And you believed him?"
"Not quickly enough."
His voice hardened.
"By the time I understood what he had found, he was dead."
Camille looked down.
Then whispered:
"Did you have anything to do with it?"
Lucien met her eyes.
"No."
She studied him.
"How can I know?"
"You can't. Not yet."
The honesty surprised her.
Lucien continued.
"Don't trust me because I'm powerful. Trust evidence."
Camille looked at him for a long moment.
Then nodded.
"Good."
He raised an eyebrow.
May you like
"Good?"
"Because I intend to find it."
