Chapter 9 - THE ANATOMY OF A LIE
Derek whipped around to look at Sienna, his eyes wide and frantic. "Sienna, shut up! Just get back in the car! Marcus is lying, he’s running a bluff to try and shake me down for Audrey’s divorce settlement!"
"I don't bluff, Derek," Marcus said smoothly, pulling out a second set of documents. "And if you’d like further clarification on your financial standing, I have here the termination orders for Halston Capital Partners’ commercial lease on Main Street."
Derek stopped breathing. "What?"
"The four floors your firm occupies in the Dominion Tower?" Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Those floors are owned by Vance Commercial Properties. You haven't paid market rent in five years; your lease was subsidized under Audrey’s family development trust as a courtesy. That subsidy was terminated at nine o'clock this morning. Your firm has thirty days to vacate, or pay the retroactive market rate of three million two hundred thousand dollars."
"You can't do that!" Derek roared, his voice cracking violently. He lunged toward Marcus, but the massive private security guard stepped forward instantly, his hand resting firmly on the tactical holster beneath his jacket.
Derek stumbled back, catching himself against the hood of the Porsche.
"Furthermore," Marcus continued relentlessly, "the vehicle you are currently driving is leased under Vance Fleet Management. The lease agreement was cancelled four hours ago due to unauthorized secondary drivers—specifically, the young lady standing behind you, who was photographed operating the vehicle on Thursday afternoon."
Marcus looked over at the guard. "Officer Vance, please confiscate the keys."
"Don't touch my car!" Evelyn shrieked, charging forward, her designer handbag swinging wildly. "This is harassment! I am calling the Chief of Police! I know the Governor personally! My son is an established Richmond gentleman, and we will not be treated like street vagrants by Arthur Vance’s hired lackey!"
"Call him, Evelyn," Marcus said calmly, turning his gaze upon her. "Call Chief Harrison. In fact, please do. Chief Harrison was Arthur Vance’s college roommate. He was also informed of Derek’s little escapade at two o'clock yesterday afternoon, when Audrey filed an emergency petition for sole temporary custody and an emergency protective order based on abandonment of an infant during medical delivery."
Evelyn stopped in her tracks, her hand dropping to her side, her face turning an ashen shade of gray. "Abandonment? She was in a hospital! With doctors!"
"Seventeen calls, Evelyn," Marcus said, his voice dropping into a register of cold, absolute disgust. "Her doctor called Derek twice from the operating room when Audrey’s blood pressure spiked to dangerous levels during the emergency cesarean. Derek sent the calls to voicemail. Audrey’s nurse called you three times. You blocked the number."
Marcus leaned forward, staring directly into Evelyn’s eyes.
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"Do you know what a Virginia family court judge does to a father who ignores emergency medical calls while his wife nearly bleeds out on an operating table so he can drink bourbon with a junior associate? You won't see your granddaughter unsupervised until she’s in college, Evelyn. If ever."
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