Chapter 9 - Chloe’s Arrogance Crumbles
With Vance and Miller stripped of their badges, weapons, and belts, and escorted out to the federal transport vehicles under the glare of their peers, I turned my attention to the primary architect of my mother’s suffering. I walked down the long, gray corridor to the temporary holding cells where Chloe had been detained.
When I slid open the heavy steel observation port of Cell 4, Chloe was pacing back and forth in her designer heels, her arms crossed indignantly over her stained silk blouse. When she saw my face through the wired glass, she slammed her hands against the door.
"Vera! Let me out of here right now!" Chloe screamed, her voice shrill with entitlement. "My father is Arthur Vance Senior! He owns half the commercial real estate in this county! When my family’s lawyers get here, they are going to sue you, the Department of Justice, and this entire pathetic city for false imprisonment and police harassment!"
I unlocked the cell door and stepped inside, accompanied by Agent Jenkins, who was carrying a digital video recorder to capture the notification of charges. I didn't raise my voice; I didn't need to. The quiet, absolute certainty of federal power was far more terrifying than any scream.
"Chloe Sterling," I said calmly, reading from the official federal warrant sheet in my hand. "You are being transferred into federal custody. You are formally charged with Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Elder Abuse, Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Bribery of a Law Enforcement Officer."
Chloe stopped pacing, her arrogant sneer faltering slightly as the sheer volume and severity of the charges hit her ears. "You can't charge me with attempted murder! It was a family argument! She fell! My father will bail me out before noon!"
"There is no bail for federal attempted murder when the suspect demonstrates an active flight risk and a history of witness tampering and police bribery," I replied smoothly. "And as for your father, our financial crimes unit executed a freeze on his commercial business accounts half an hour ago due to his co-mingling of illicit funds with your offshore accounts. He isn't bailing anyone out, Chloe. He’s currently searching for a criminal defense attorney of his own."
For the first time since the ordeal began, the mask of high-society entitlement slipped completely from Chloe’s face. Her eyes grew wide with genuine, paralyzing terror. She looked at Agent Jenkins, who was silently recording her downfall, then back to me.
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"Julian... where is Julian?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "He’s my husband! He has to tell you that it was an accident!"
"Julian is currently in an interrogation room down the hall, signing a full proffer agreement with federal prosecutors," I informed her coldly. "He gave up you, he gave up Vance, and he gave up the entire financial conspiracy to save himself from a life sentence. You are entirely alone, Chloe."
