Chapter 7 - The Confrontation
Chase casually kicked open the door to the largest fitting room.
Madison was sitting on the floor, her hands tied behind her back and a dirty rag stuffed in her mouth.
Her expensive designer dress was ruined, and her mascara was running heavily down her tear-stained cheeks.
When she saw me, she let out a muffled cry of absolute relief.
"There she is, safe and sound," Chase mocked, waving the gun carelessly in her direction.
"Now, sign the transfer papers, and you can both go home and eat some leftover turkey."
I looked at the clipboard he placed on the glass display counter.
"Let her go first," I negotiated, remembering Ramirez's instructions to buy time.
Chase laughed, cocking the hammer of the silver handgun with a chilling metallic click.
"You don't dictate the terms here, Sarah," he snarled, all of his charming facade completely vanishing.
"Sign the damn paper, or I put a bullet in her knee right now."
I slowly picked up the pen, positioning myself so my body blocked the front window from his view.
I needed to give the tactical team enough time to silently breach the reinforced back door.
"I need to read what I'm signing," I stalled, pretending to scrutinize the legal jargon.
"You are transferring the company assets to a holding corporation," Chase growled, stepping closer to me.
"It pays off your sister's massive gambling debts, and my bosses get a nice new fleet of bulldozers."
Madison whimpered on the floor, shaking her head frantically.
"Why did you forge my name on the initial loan, Madison?" I asked loudly, making sure the wire picked up the confession.
Chase answered for her.
"Because she was desperate, and your father is a weak old fool who cuts her off when he gets scared."
"She thought she could flip the boutique and pay it back before you ever noticed."
I looked down at my younger sister, feeling a sudden wave of pity mix with my intense anger.
She had ruined her life trying to maintain a fake image, and our father had enabled her every step of the way.
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Suddenly, a massive crash echoed from the back storage room.
The tactical team had successfully breached the heavy steel security door.
