PART 4: Dawn of the Arrest
PART 4: Dawn of the Arrest
Federal marshals shatter morning luxury illusions.
The morning sun cast a pale, cold light across the Chicago skyline, offering no warmth to the high-rise condo where Daniel sat motionless on the living room sofa, having stared at the wall for the entire night.
He hadn't slept a wink.
Every tick of the wall clock felt like a countdown to his absolute annihilation.
Down the hall, Vanessa had been packing her designer bags since 4:00 a.m., planning to catch an early flight out of O'Hare before her name was dragged through the financial press.
At exactly 6:00 a.m., a loud, heavy battering ram strike echoed against the heavy oak front door.
THUD! THUD!
"Federal marshals! Open the door!" a booming voice commanded from the hallway.
Vanessa screamed from the bedroom, dropping a suitcase as she rushed toward the living area.
Daniel didn't move.
He just sat there, his shoulders slumped, his eyes hollow.
Before he could reach the handle, the front door swung violently inward, splintering the deadbolt lock as three federal agents in tactical gear swarmed into the condo.
"Daniel Mercer?" the lead marshal barked, stepping forward with handcuffs ready.
"I... I'm here," Daniel whispered hoarsely.
"You are under arrest for federal wire fraud, bank collusion, and forgery of municipal contracts," the marshal recited mechanically, grabbing Daniel by the arms and jerking him up from the sofa.
Cold steel clicked sharply around his wrists.
As they hauled him toward the open doorway, Vanessa ran out of the bedroom, her hair wild, grabbing frantically at the marshal's sleeve.
"Wait! I'm just his employee! I didn't know anything about this!" she sobbed hysterically.
"Ms. Cole, you're also being detained for questioning regarding corporate embezzlement and insider trading," the second agent stated coldly, clicking a second pair of cuffs around her wrists.
Dragged out into the bright morning hallway, past the gaping neighbors who poked their heads out of neighboring penthouse doors, Daniel caught his reflection in the mirrored elevator wall.
The expensive suit was wrinkled.
May you like
The arrogant smirk was gone.
He was nothing more than a criminal caught in the web of a family he had arrogantly underestimated.
