Chapter 10 - The Federal ClerkThe fifth floor of the federal courthouse was nearly deserted due to the New Year's holiday weekend, save for a skeleton staff in the emergency filings division. The air smelled of old paper, industrial wax, and stale radiator steam.
Claire sat in a hard wooden chair in front of the intake counter, her coat open, her chest heaving as she signed her name on the third page of the maritime proxy transfer.
Claire Montgomery-Sterling.
She stopped. She crossed out Sterling with three clean, heavy strokes of the black ballpoint pen, leaving only her maiden name.
The clerk, an older woman with thick bifocals and gray hair pinned in a loose bun, adjusted her glasses and stamped the document with a heavy brass seal.
FILED — JAN 01, 10:48 AM.
"Is the proxy effective immediately?" Claire asked, her voice cracking with exhaustion.
"Upon entry into the federal registry," the clerk said, sliding a certified copy across the counter. "Which took place twenty seconds ago. The state probate petition filed by Arthur Sterling is officially superseded under federal supremacy doctrine."
Claire let out a long, ragged breath that sounded almost like a sob. She pressed her forehead against the cool wooden counter.
Sarah stood beside her, looking at the stamped paper like it was a foreign object. "Is it over?"
"Not yet," Claire said, sitting up straight and wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dirty navy sweatshirt. "Now we have to go to 57th Street."
May you like
"Why?" Sarah asked, alarmed. "You have the filings. You won."
"No," Claire said, looking toward the elevator banks. "I have the company. Now I'm taking the keys."
