Chapter 7 - The Final Flight of Victoria Vance
While federal agents were cataloging the contents of the trailers in Richmond, a Gulfstream IV private jet was preparing for taxi at Richmond Executive Airport.
Inside the luxury cabin, Victoria Vance was sipping Dom Pérignon from a crystal flute, wrapped in a white chinchilla fur coat. Across from her were four Louis Vuitton trunks stuffed with bearer bonds, family jewelry, and cash skimmed from our family trust.
"Captain," she barked through the intercom to the cockpit, "why haven't we departed yet? Our flight plan was filed for 9:15 PM!"
"Apologies, Mrs. Vance," the pilot’s voice crackled back nervously. "Tower has put an indefinite ground hold on all private departures heading south. Air traffic control says federal authorities have temporarily suspended regional clearances."
Victoria’s glass froze halfway to her lips.
A cold trickle of dread snaked down her spine. "That's impossible. Tell them this is a private diplomatic flight chartered under the Vance Estate."
"They don't care, ma'am. And... someone is approaching the aircraft."
Victoria jumped up from her leather seat, hurried to the oval window, and wiped away the condensation.
Cutting across the tarmac through the freezing rain were three black federal SUVs, followed by a dark olive-drab tactical truck. They pulled up in a semi-circle around the Gulfstream, high-beam headlights blinding the cabin.
The hydraulic cabin stairs were lowered from the outside.
Victoria backed down the aisle toward the rear stateroom, clutching her pearls with trembling hands. "No... no, Julian said the paperwork was ironclad..."
The sound of heavy tactical boots bounded up the stairs.
Two female FBI special agents entered first, weapons drawn and held at the low ready. Behind them came Special Agent Miller.
And behind Miller walked me.
"Good evening, Mother," I said, stepping into the cabin.
Victoria pressed her back against the mahogany veneer of the aircraft galley. Her aristocratic composure completely disintegrated, her face twisting into the wild, feral snarl of a cornered beast.
"You insolent, ungrateful brat!" she screamed, her voice piercing the pressurized cabin. "I raised you! I introduced you to high society! I made your father the man he was! Everything in this family belongs to me!"
"My father died broken-hearted because he spent thirty years trying to fill the black hole you call a soul," I replied, standing unmoving in the center of the aisle. "And you tried to destroy Maya because she saw right through you."
"She was a nobody!" Victoria shrieked, saliva flying from her lips. "A hillbilly girl from the mountains with no pedigree! She wasn't worthy to bear the Vance name! I should have had her terminated the second she announced the pregnancy!"
Special Agent Miller clicked his body camera off and then immediately back on. "Victoria Vance, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit felony grand larceny, interstate extortion, solicitation of aggravated domestic assault, and witness tampering."
"Don't you dare touch me!" she howled as one of the female agents spun her around and snapped heavy steel cuffs around her manicured wrists. "Do you know who I am? I sit on the board of the Virginia Symphony! I dine with the Governor! Daniel, tell them to stop! Tell them right now!"
I didn't blink. I didn't flinch.
"Take her away," I told the agents.
May you like
As they dragged her down the stairs into the biting Virginia rain, her screams echoed across the runway, swallowed up by the roar of the jet engines and the cleansing cold of the storm.
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