Chapter 11 - A Crown Reclaimed
Before Victoria’s hand could clear her pocket, the heavy boardroom doors were thrown open with a resounding bang.
Four uniformed officers from the State Police, accompanied by two federal agents in dark suits with badges pinned to their lapels, swarmed into the room with weapons drawn.
"Federal Bureau of Investigation! Nobody move!" the lead agent barked, his firearm trained directly on Victoria. "Victoria Sterling, Robert Sterling, keep your hands where we can see them!"
Robert let out a pathetic wail, flattening himself completely against the carpet with his hands behind his head.
Victoria froze, her hand still inside her coat. Slowly, under the red laser sights dancing across her chest, she pulled out an encrypted satellite phone and let it clatter onto the floor.
"You called them," Victoria said, glaring at me with pure, unadulterated hatred.
"I called them three hours ago," I replied calmly, walking over to stand between Mason and Noah. "Right after Robert sat on my couch and offered me fifty thousand dollars to sell out my boys. We didn't come here tonight to beg you for an explanation, Victoria. We came here to keep you occupied until the federal warrants could be signed."
The agents moved in swiftly, ratcheting cold steel handcuffs around Robert’s wrists first, pulling him roughly to his feet. He was sobbing uncontrollably, snot running down his upper lip, blabbering about hidden ledgers and bank accounts in Panama, desperately offering to testify against his own sister in exchange for protective custody.
Two female officers approached Victoria, wrenching her arms behind her back. For all her wealth, for all her high-society elegance, the sharp click of the handcuffs sounded just as humiliating, just as final.
Arthur and the remaining board members stood up. The old man walked over to Mason and Noah, extended his right hand, and bowed his head slightly.
May you like
"Welcome home, boys," Arthur said, his voice thick with emotion. "Your mother would be incredibly proud of you tonight."
Mason shook the man's hand firmly. "We have a lot of work to do, Arthur. The morning shift starts in three hours. Call the floor managers. Let them know Vance Logistics is back under Sterling leadership."
