Chapter 4 - Cornered Animal
The federal authorities hauled Julian away in the back of an SUV, but the nightmare was far from over.
Because Julian’s crimes crossed state lines and involved federal bank fraud, the local judge set his bail at a staggering two million dollars.
We all assumed he would rot in a holding cell until his trial.
We were dead wrong.
Three days later, Thomas called me with grim news.
Someone had posted Julian's bail anonymously through a shell company in the Cayman Islands.
"It is the gambling syndicate," Thomas warned me over the phone.
"He owes them over five million dollars, Arthur."
"They bailed him out because he convinced them he can still get his hands on your land."
A chill ran down my spine as I looked out the kitchen window toward the vast, open acres of the ranch.
Julian was no longer just a con artist operating in the shadows of high society.
He was a desperate, cornered animal, heavily indebted to very violent men.
I immediately ordered Elise to pack a bag and move into the main house with me.
I called Clifford, my loyal ranch foreman, and told him to arm the permanent staff.
We locked the heavy iron gates at the property line and activated the perimeter alarms.
I pulled my old lever-action Winchester rifle from the gun safe and loaded it with heavy rounds.
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I had spent my entire life defending this land from banks and droughts.
I was more than prepared to defend it from a cowardly thief in a tailored suit.
