Chapter 8 - The Shadow of Justice
Before Julian’s fist could travel three inches, a hand like a hydraulic vice locked around his wrist.
The pain was instant and blinding. Julian let out a high-pitched yelp as his arm was twisted backward with brutal, practiced efficiency. He was spun around and slammed chest-first against the concrete pillar of the parking garage, his cheek scraping against the rough stone.
Standing behind him was not an elderly chauffeur.
It was Marcus Vance.
Not the dead father from thirty years ago—but Marcus Vance’s younger brother, Thomas Vance, a former federal prosecutor who had served as head of Richard Kensington’s personal security and legal intelligence for two decades.
“Mr. Whitmore,” Thomas whispered, his voice calm, polite, and completely devoid of mercy as he drove his knee into Julian’s lower back. “Attempted battery against a Kensington family principal carries an automatic denial of bail under Texas criminal code.”
From behind the parked town car, two Dallas Police detectives in plain clothes stepped out, their badges gleaming on their belts, their firearms resting at their sides.
Julian’s eyes widened in horror. “You… you set me up!”
Elena stepped around the pillar, looking down at Julian as the handcuffs clicked tightly around his wrists.
“We didn’t set you up, Julian,” Elena said calmly. “You were tracked the moment you rented that car with a stolen identity card belonging to your former assistant, Chloe. We knew you were following us from the estate gates. I simply chose a location with twenty-four-hour surveillance cameras to ensure there would be no ambiguity regarding your intent.”
Julian struggled against the concrete, spitting blood onto the gray floor. “Elena! You can’t do this! I’m your husband!”
“The annulment was signed by a district judge at nine o’clock this morning,” Detective Alvarez said, hauling Julian upward by his handcuffed arms. “You are officially an unrelated third party trespassing on private property, violating an active protective order, and committing felony stalking.”
“Wait! Please!” Julian cried, the bravado evaporating instantly into pathetic, blubbering terror as he was dragged toward the police cruiser. “Elena! Call Richard! Tell him I’ll sign whatever he wants! Don’t let them take me to Lew Sterrett jail! Elena!”
Elena watched in silence as the cruiser doors slammed shut. The red and blue emergency lights flashed across the concrete walls of the underground garage, casting long, dramatic shadows that seemed to swallow Julian whole.
Thomas Vance straightened his cuffs, turning toward Elena with deep respect.
“He won’t receive bail, ma’am. With the wire fraud files we are handing over to the district attorney today, his state charges will immediately merge with federal indictments. He will not see the light of day for a very long time.”
“Thank you, Thomas,” Elena said softly.
“Your grandfather is waiting at the headquarters, Miss Kensington,” Thomas said, opening the door of the town car for her. “The annual shareholder symposium begins in two hours.”
May you like
Elena took a deep, steady breath. She adjusted the completed silver sun resting against her collarbone, stepped into the vehicle, and prepared to face the world that had been stolen from her thirty years before.
***
