It was my executive assistant at Kestrel and Moreno Capital.

I tapped the screen and held it to my ear.

“Go ahead.” “Noelle, I’m so sorry to bother you on a weekend.

The board moved the emergency authorization meeting up to tonight.” I stepped a few feet aside, keeping my voice clear.

“What happened?” “The national infrastructure consortium accepted our final acquisition terms.

But they need executive sign-off before midnight to release the escrow funds.” “What’s the total transaction valuation?” “Three hundred and twenty million dollars.”

Several nearby guests, my father and Bernard Ashby among them, heard the number clearly.