Chapter 7 - The Emergency Summons
The quiet of the vineyard was broken by the sharp, persistent buzz of Arthur’s phone once again.
He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and let out a short, humorless breath. “Well, speak of the devil. It’s the bank’s executive compliance director.”
“Put it on speaker,” Daniel instructed quietly.
Arthur tapped the screen and laid the phone flat on the edge of the mahogany table, right beside our untouched champagne glasses.
“Arthur Brooks?” a crisp, professional voice crackled through the speaker.
“I’m here, director. Go ahead,” Arthur said.
“We’ve locked down the Vanguard-linked routing attempt on the Vance trust portfolio,” the director reported smoothly. “However, you should know that the IP address and authorization signature used in the override attempt trace directly back to a terminal at the county precinct’s digital intake desk.”
I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. “The precinct? Carol is there?”
“Indeed she is, Mrs. Brooks,” the director confirmed. “It appears Mrs. Carol Vance attempted to use the public terminal in the sheriff’s lobby—claiming it was an urgent legal filing for the county magistrate—to execute the final escrow release before the weekend lock. Our automated security protocols intercepted it the second it hit the state clearinghouse.”
Arthur offered a dry, cold smile. “Thank you, Director. Keep the account frozen until my legal team arrives on Monday morning.”
“Understood, Mr. Brooks. Good evening.”
The line clicked dead, leaving a heavy, resonant silence hanging in the cool night air.
I looked at Daniel, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. “She didn't even wait for Madison to be processed. The second she realized her daughter was locked in a holding cell, she tried to steal my inheritance right from under the police department’s nose.”
“Desperation makes people sloppy,” Daniel said, his voice hard as iron. He reached out and cupped my cheek, his thumb gently brushing away a stray lock of hair that had come loose from my bridal updo. “Are you ready to finish this, Emily?”
“Finish what?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.
“Your mother is currently sitting in the lobby of the county sheriff’s department, trying to commit federal wire fraud using a public terminal,” Daniel pointed out, a dangerous edge of amusement touching his eyes. “I’d say it’s time we paid the local authorities a little visit.”
May you like
Arthur nodded in full agreement, pulling his car keys from his pocket. “My legal team is already meeting us down there. Let’s go remind Carol what happens when you mistake a quiet daughter for an easy target.”
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