Chapter 6 - The Trade
Now everything became dangerous.
Not because we knew insider trading occurred.
We didn’t.
But the timing required investigation.
Apex was considering acquisition of privately held trucking company called Meridian Freight Systems.
Meridian relied heavily on a publicly traded fuel-services supplier, North River Energy.
Internal modeling suggested acquisition would substantially increase North River contracts.
Julian had accessed restricted acquisition documents despite not being on transaction team.
Three weeks later, Evelyn bought $85,000 of North River shares.
After acquisition leaked publicly through legitimate announcement, stock rose around 18%.
She sold part.
Profit approximately $11,000.
Not enormous.
But insider-trading concerns do not depend on dramatic millions.
Question:
Did Julian give her material nonpublic information?
Julian said no.
Evelyn said she bought on recommendation from investment newsletter.
Could be true.
Investigators requested evidence.
She produced newsletter.
North River was mentioned.
That complicated.
Then timestamp.
Newsletter published two days after her purchase.
Problem.
She then said financial adviser told her.
Adviser denied.
Stronger problem.
Outside counsel notified appropriate compliance authorities as required and began internal investigation.
I remained recused.
Good.
Then Julian’s access logs.
He opened Meridian file 7:42 p.m. from office.
Ten minutes later, he called Evelyn.
Call lasted fourteen minutes.
Next morning she purchased North River.
Still circumstantial.
Then text:
Evelyn:
That energy stock?
Julian:
Not in writing.
That was bad.
Very bad.
Julian’s attorney argued could refer to unrelated matter.
Possible.
Then later:
Evelyn:
Done.
No response.
Regulators would evaluate.
Not me.
Meanwhile, housing audit concluded some charges legitimate:
Julian qualified for partial home-office reimbursement.
Some business mileage legitimate.
Certain communication expenses reimbursable.
But false lease?
Forensic signature review found my signature was copied from a tax authorization.
Lease metadata showed creation on Julian’s laptop.
That was strong.
Vantage invoices?
Evelyn’s company had no employees, no vendor contract, and no evidence services.
Outside auditor classified approximately $109,000 as likely improper reimbursement across lease, vehicle duplication, vendor invoices and related charges.
Not all initial $199k.
Accuracy.
Julian was placed on paid administrative leave pending formal review—not fired.
His reaction was immediate.
“This is retaliation.”
Independent committee issued written reasons with evidence.
His claim did not vanish, but process mattered.
Then personal divorce discovery showed something else.
The $1.2 million joint account was indeed mostly funded by my distributions.
But Julian contributed salary and bonuses too.
Rough tracing:
$930,000 from me.
$270,000 from him plus earnings/interest.
Not simply mine.
Court temporarily restrained extraordinary withdrawals while allowing ordinary living expenses.
His threatened “I’ll take every dollar” looked childish compared to actual law.
Then condo.
Premarital trust held title.
Julian had no ownership stake automatically, but marital funds paid about $140,000 in renovations.
He might have reimbursement/equitable claims depending agreement.
Again nuanced.
SUV titled through my holding entity and primarily separate.
He had use, not ownership.
Then Julian sent me a message:
You lied about who you were.
I replied once:
Yes. And I am willing to answer for that in divorce.
His response:
You destroyed my career.
I stared.
I had not fired him.
Audit found conduct.
Those distinctions mattered.
Then Evelyn suffered a heart attack.
Mild.
Hospitalized.
Julian called me.
“Happy?”
“No.”
“You wanted this.”
“No.”
“Mom could die.”
“I hope she recovers.”
He started crying.
For a moment, anger disappeared.
“My stepdad died four days ago. Now this.”
Right.
Harold.
The dead husband whose family gathering sparked all this.
Grief existed amid misconduct.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
He breathed.
Then:
“Can we stop?”
“What?”
“Everything. Divorce. Audit. Just stop for week.”
I looked at cast.
At hospital ceiling.
“I can pause personal settlement discussions.”
“Corporate?”
“Not under my control anymore.”
He swore.
“You always say that when convenient.”
“No. That is what recusal means.”
He hung up.
The next morning, while Evelyn recovered, investigators reviewing her North River account discovered another name authorized to trade.
Harold Mason.
May you like
Her recently deceased husband.
And his access logs suggested some trades had occurred after he was already hospitalized and unable to transact.
