Every document I had kept while Julian was standing in my living room acting as if I needed his permission to enter.
By early evening, Harrison called back.
I listened without interrupting.
Then I looked through the hotel window at the fading Texas light.
“”What do you need from me?”” I asked.
“”Nothing else,”” he said. “”Just be there at nine.””
At 8:45 p.m., I turned onto my street.
The house was glowing.
Cars lined the curb. Music came from inside. Through the front windows, I could see Julian and Khloe entertaining guests as if nothing had happened.
Then headlights appeared behind me.
One vehicle.
Then another.
Then a third.
I parked across from the driveway and checked the time.
8:59.
The front door opened.
Julian stepped outside with his drink still in his hand, wearing the same robe and the same smug expression.
Then he saw what had pulled in behind me.
His smile disappeared
The glass in Julian’s hand lowered by half an inch.
The first vehicle was a black sedan I recognized as Harrison’s. The second was a marked Travis County constable unit. The third was a white SUV with a woman in a dark blazer behind the wheel and a small county seal on the door.
Julian stared from one to the next.
Behind him, laughter still floated from the living room.
Someone inside called, “”Julian, are you opening another bottle?””
He did not answer.
Harrison stepped out of the sedan carrying a leather folder.
The constable came around the cruiser slowly, not touching his holster, not performing for anyone. The woman from the SUV followed with a tablet tucked against her ribs.
I crossed the street.
Julian looked at me.
“”What did you do?””
“”I asked you a question at four-thirty,”” I said. “”You told me to let the law answer it.””
The front door opened wider behind him.
Khloe appeared barefoot, one hand still holding her phone.
Her face lost its color when she saw the uniform.
“”Natalie.””
Harrison reached the bottom step.
“”Mr. Mercer?””
Julian lifted his chin. “”Who wants to know?””
“”Harrison Vance. Counsel for the owner of this property.””
He opened the folder.
“”This is a temporary emergency order signed at 8:17 this evening after review of evidence concerning unlawful financial control, interference with an elderly resident’s access to her own funds, and credible risk of continued exploitation if access to the property and accounts remains unrestricted.””
Julian gave a short laugh, but it sounded dry now.
“”That’s ridiculous. You can’t get a court order in a few hours because someone got offended by a joke.””
The woman in the blazer stepped forward.
“”My name is Dana Ruiz. I’m with Adult Protective Services.””
That ended the laughter inside the house.
Not gradually.
Completely.
Khloe looked at Julian.
He looked at the constable.
The scotch glass in his hand was no longer steady.
Dana continued.
“”Martha Austin was interviewed at the hotel in the presence of medical staff. Photographs were taken of her knees and hands. She gave a statement regarding access to her debit card, passwords, phone, mail, and personal property.””
