Chapter 6 - The Rat in the Corner
Inside the private study, Marcus connected his tablet to the large wall monitor. Audio waveforms pulsed across the screen as a wiretap recording played back in high definition.
“Listen to me carefully, Victor!” Julian Vane’s voice barked through the speakers, sharp, panicked, and raspy. “The catering girl from last night... she’s talking! I don't know how Arthur found out, but someone leaked a draft to Internal Affairs! I need you to clean this up today!”
A deep, gruff voice replied over the line: “What do you want done with the girl and her brother, Mr. Vane?”
“Liquidate them!” Julian snarled. “Make it look like a home invasion robbery in Brooklyn. Burn the apartment building down if you have to! I am transferring two million dollars to your Zurich account right now. Just ensure there are no witnesses left by midnight!”
Sarah Chen hit the pause button on the monitor.
“We have him,” Sarah declared, her eyes flashing with triumphant legal fury. “Solicitation of capital murder, conspiracy to commit arson, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. It’s an airtight federal indictment.”
“Not yet,” I said, staring at the screen. “Where is Julian making these calls from?”
“His private penthouse suite at the Metropolitan Club,” Marcus replied. “He’s currently packing two aluminum diplomatic suitcases containing stolen corporate bearer bonds worth forty million dollars. He has a private charter jet scheduled to depart for Dubai from Teterboro Airport at three o’clock this afternoon.”
“He thinks he’s escaping,” I muttered, a dark grin spreading across my face. “He thinks he can buy his way out of justice.”
“Should we have the FBI intercept him at the airport?” Sarah asked.
“No,” I replied firmly. “If the FBI intercepts him, his high-priced lawyers will file endless bail motions, delay the trial for years, and drag my daughter through exhausting depositions. I want Julian to realize he’s finished before he even reaches the runway.”
I turned to Marcus. “Cancel his charter flight. Bribe the pilot. Replace the air crew with our own security operatives. Let Julian board that plane thinking he’s home free.”
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“And where is the plane flying, Mr. Sterling?” Marcus asked, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
“Straight to the private runway on my estate ground,” I answered coldly. “I want to deliver Julian Vane’s arrest warrant to him in person.”
