Chapter 9 - The Trap
The news of Arthur’s miraculous awakening and his damning testimony hit the police department like a lightning bolt.
A judge immediately revoked Caroline’s bail, issuing a no-knock arrest warrant for attempted murder and massive corporate fraud.
However, Caroline’s expensive lawyers had their own internal informants, and they tipped her off before the police could arrive.
Instead of waiting at her secondary property to be arrested, Caroline made a desperate, terrifying move.
She cut her electronic ankle monitor with a pair of garden shears and fled the house.
Back at the Belmont Estate, Elena was sitting in the sunny kitchen, trying to get Leo to eat a piece of toast.
The estate was heavily guarded, but Julian had taken the majority of his private security team to the hospital.
Suddenly, the heavy oak back door of the kitchen burst open with a violent crash.
Caroline stood in the doorway, her hair wild and disheveled, holding a small, silver revolver in her trembling hand.
"Mom!" Leo screamed, terrified, immediately diving under the heavy oak kitchen table.
Elena jumped up, placing her body between the gun and the table where Leo was hiding.
"Caroline, the police are already on their way, you have nowhere to go," Elena said, keeping her voice incredibly level.
"Shut up!" Caroline shrieked, waving the gun frantically.
"I am taking my son, and we are leaving the country tonight."
"You are not taking him anywhere," Elena replied fiercely, refusing to back down an inch.
Caroline cocked the hammer of the revolver, her eyes wide with unhinged, absolute desperation.
"I will kill you right here, Elena, don't test me," Caroline threatened, taking a step into the kitchen.
Before Caroline could pull the trigger, the sound of massive helicopter blades thundered over the estate.
The massive downdraft rattled the kitchen windows as a police chopper hovered directly over the back lawn.
Caroline flinched, looking over her shoulder at the flashing lights descending from the sky.
In that split second of distraction, Elena lunged forward, grabbing a heavy cast-iron skillet from the stove.
She swung it with every ounce of strength she possessed, striking Caroline’s gun hand violently.
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The gun fired into the ceiling with a deafening crack, and the weapon clattered harmlessly to the floor.
Elena tackled the woman to the ground, pinning her down as the estate security finally burst into the room.
