Helen called at seven-thirty on Thursday morning.
Aria was already at her desk — she had been awake since five, the specific early alertness of someone who had too much to think about and had decided to make the thinking productive. She answered on the first ring.
“Walsh filed a complaint against Cole Financial Consulting,” Helen said. “Conflict of interest allegation — the claim is that your work for Morano Holdings while simultaneously cooperating with the Meridian inquiry represents a compromised position.”
“It’s a tactic,” Aria said.
“Yes,” Helen said. “It’s a good one. Not legally strong, but designed to create noise and delay and make the consultancy look compromised before it’s fully established.” She paused. “I need you to come to my office today. We’re going to build the respo
