Chapter 6 - Criminal Charges and Dirty Secrets
By Thursday morning, forty-eight hours after the birthday party from hell, Daniel Whitmore was sitting in a holding cell at the Charleston County Detention Center.
He was wearing an orange institutional jumpsuit, his wrists raw from handcuffs, his hair greasy and unwashed. The bail hearing had not gone the way his high-priced defense attorney, Marcus Kane, had promised.
Judge Robert Harrison, a no-nonsense jurist whose own daughter had survived an abusive marriage, had watched the surveillance video in chambers.
"Bail is set at five million dollars, cash only," Judge Harrison had ruled earlier that morning, slamming his gavel down with an echo that sounded like a gunshot. "Given the defendant's access to private aircraft, extensive foreign financial transactions currently under federal investigation, and the extreme violence demonstrated in the provided video evidence, the court considers Mr. Whitmore an acute flight risk and a danger to the victim. Surrender of all passports is mandatory."
Five million dollars cash.
A week ago, Daniel could have pulled that together through a combination of corporate credit and quick asset sales. But today, every account associated with Whitmore Development Group was frozen under federal injunction. The family trusts were locked down by Carter Capital's receivership petition.
Daniel sat on the cold steel bench, staring at Marcus Kane through the reinforced glass of the visitation room.
"Where is my mother?" Daniel demanded, pounding his fist against the partition. "Why hasn't she wired the bail money? What about my sister?"
Marcus Kane sighed, rubbing his forehead. He looked exhausted, the aura of a confident defense attorney completely stripped away. "Daniel, you need to listen to me very carefully. Your mother has no money. Her personal accounts were seized yesterday by the IRS."
Daniel blinked, stunned. "The IRS? What does the IRS have to do with this?"
"When Victoria Vance filed the forensic audit on your company, she didn't just give it to the local police," Kane explained in a hushed, urgent whisper. "She sent copies to the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS. Daniel... they found the offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands. They found the double-invoicing schemes on the municipal harbor project."
Daniel’s breath hitched in his throat. "Those—those were legitimate consulting fees!"
"They were kickbacks paid to city planning commissioners, Daniel!" Kane snapped. "The federal prosecutors are preparing an eight-count indictment for wire fraud, honest services fraud, and money laundering! This isn't just about the assault on Emily anymore! If you go to trial on the federal charges, you’re looking at twenty to twenty-five years in federal prison!"
Daniel slumped back against the concrete wall, clutching his head in his hands. "No... no, this can't be happening. Emily wouldn't do this. She loved me. She loved me for six years!"
"Emily Carter isn't the woman you married anymore, Daniel," Kane said grimly. "She’s Alexander Carter’s daughter, and she is executing a systematic, textbook corporate and legal execution of your entire family. The federal prosecutor assigned to your case is Sarah Jenkins—she’s Victoria Vance’s former law partner. They aren't offering a plea deal. They want your head on a spike."
"There has to be a way out," Daniel pleaded, tears leaking down his grime-streaked cheeks. "I'll give her everything! The house, the cars, the company! I'll sign the divorce papers today! Just tell her to drop the criminal charges!"
"You don't have anything to give her," Kane said, closing his briefcase. "She already owns your company. She already owns your mother's house. The only thing you have left to give the state of South Carolina is your freedom. And unless you can find five million dollars in clean, unencumbered cash by five o'clock today, you’re staying in this cell until trial."
Kane stood up, buttoning his jacket.
"Where are you going?" Daniel panicked, slamming his palms against the glass. "You're my lawyer! You can't just leave me here!"
"My retainer was paid with a check from Whitmore Development Group," Kane said coldly. "The check bounced thirty minutes ago. I am filing my motion to withdraw as your counsel this afternoon. The court will appoint you a public defender."
"Kane! Kane, don't walk out that door! Kane!"
May you like
The heavy steel door buzzed, Kane walked through it, and the lock clicked shut. Daniel was left alone in the grey concrete room, his screams echoing off the walls, unheard and unanswered.
***
