Chapter 5 - The Collapse of the Crown
The silence in the room was heavy and absolute after the tactical SUVs disappeared into the rain.
We had just faced down a private army of hardened mercenaries with nothing but a steel door and a bluff.
But it was not a bluff, and Marcus Vance knew it.
Men who fought for a paycheck did not die for a sinking ship.
Julian Sterling had spent his entire life believing that his wealth was an impenetrable shield.
He was about to learn that money was only loyal to those who held it.
I sat back down on the worn leather sofa, my hands finally beginning to shake.
Clara reached over and held my hands, her grip surprisingly strong.
"He is alone now, Mom," Clara whispered, her eyes shining with a new, fierce light.
"He has no security, no leverage, and no time."
Arthur cracked his knuckles, a loud popping sound that echoed in the small space.
"Julian is going to panic, and panicked men make fatal mistakes," Arthur said, typing rapidly on his keyboard.
"I just intercepted an encrypted phone call leaving the Sterling mansion."
"Eleanor is calling every politician, judge, and police commissioner on her payroll."
"She is begging them for emergency protection and a private jet out of the country."
I leaned forward, watching the audio waves on Arthur’s screen.
"Are they helping her?" I asked.
Arthur smiled, a grim and satisfied expression.
"Not a chance."
"I took the liberty of sending a tiny anonymous email to all of her contacts ten minutes ago."
"I simply told them that Sterling Elite Estates is currently under cartel investigation for missing funds."
"In the political world, cartel ties are a radioactive death sentence."
"Every single one of Eleanor’s powerful friends is blocking her number right now."
Downstairs, the heavy footsteps of Carmine marching up the wooden steps broke the quiet.
He pushed the door open, his shotgun resting casually over his massive shoulder.
"The alley is clear, and the street is completely dead," Carmine reported.
"Marcus Vance packed up his boys and completely abandoned his post."
"Julian is officially naked."
I looked at the silver flash drive, still glowing green as it stayed connected to Arthur’s server.
"It is time to make our next move," I said softly.
"We gave Julian a deadline, but we are not going to wait for him to try another trick."
"Arthur, can you split the ledger?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow, adjusting his thick glasses.
"What do you mean, split it?"
"I mean, I want you to take the files showing the political bribes and corporate embezzlement, and send them to the FBI."
"Leave the cartel’s money out of it for now."
"We need the federal government to move in and freeze his assets before he figures out a way to run."
Clara nodded slowly, understanding the strategy perfectly.
"If the FBI raids the mansion, the cartel will know the ledger has been exposed," Clara said.
"They will realize Julian cannot authorize their ten million dollar transfer."
Carmine let out a low, rumbling laugh.
"You are going to lock him in a federal prison cell just to protect him from the cartel," Carmine said.
"That is a cold, brilliant kind of revenge, Beatrice."
"Do it, Arthur," I commanded.
Arthur hit the enter key with a dramatic flourish.
"The FBI cyber division has just received an anonymous, highly encrypted data drop."
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"It will take them exactly five minutes to verify the authenticity of the documents."
"After that, Julian Sterling is going to have the entire United States government knocking on his marble front door."
