Chapter 8 - The Emergency Injunction
The courtroom at the Federal District Courthouse was packed with reporters, company shareholders, and legal aides. Camille sat at the defense table next to her newly hired high-profile criminal defense attorney, a slick, thousand-dollar-an-hour shark named Vance.
Camille looked exhausted. Her hair was pulled back into a tight, severe bun, and she wore a plain navy suit that lacked her usual flashy jewelry—mostly because the FBI had seized her safe deposit boxes two days prior.
Vance stood before Judge Harrison, gesturing aggressively toward where I sat at the plaintiff's table beside Harrison Grant. "Your Honor, this emergency asset freeze is draconian and entirely punitive! My client is a respected business executive. Her younger sister is utilizing a minor family squabble and a tragic physical accident to stage a hostile corporate coup!"
"A minor squabble, Mr. Vance?" Judge Harrison interrupted, his voice dropping an octave as he looked over his reading glasses at the defense table. "I have reviewed the audio recordings of your client threatening to break her sister's fingers if she did not surrender thirty-five percent of a multi-million-dollar corporation. I have also reviewed the emergency ER reports from Dr. Thorne."
Judge Harrison picked up a thick stack of papers from his desk—the contents of my father’s secret vault. "Furthermore, the U.S. Attorney’s office has just submitted supplemental documentation proving a three-year pattern of systematic wire fraud totaling over six million dollars, verified by the late Arthur Sterling’s personal ledgers."
Camille spun around in her chair, glaring at me with pure, unadulterated hatred. She mouthed the word traitor across the courtroom aisle, but I didn't look away. I just sat there, my blue cast resting comfortably on the table, watching her kingdom crumble.
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"The motion to lift the asset freeze is categorically denied," Judge Harrison ruled, pounding his gavel. "All domestic and international bank accounts, real estate holdings, and liquid assets belonging to Camille Sterling and Eleanor Sterling are hereby impounded by the federal court pending trial. Bail conditions are modified: the defendant will surrender her passport immediately and submit to GPS ankle bracelet monitoring by six o'clock tonight."
Camille collapsed back into her chair, burying her face in her hands as her lawyer frantically tried to whisper damage control into her ear. She was trapped in the city, broke, and tagged like a common criminal.
