Chapter 12
Jax lay sprawled across the wooden deck boards, groaning in pain as the wind rushed out of his lungs in a ragged gasp. The scuffed leather football rolled away from his limp grasp, coming to a dead stop against the edge of the patio planter. Maya stood over him, her chest heaving with exertion, her knuckles bruised and bleeding, but her posture remained absolute and unyielding. She didn't wait for him to regain his senses; she immediately dropped to her knees beside Leo, pulling a small pocket knife from her bomber jacket pocket and slicing quickly through the thick nylon ropes binding the boy to the chair.
Leo tumbled forward into her arms, sobbing quietly as he buried his face in her navy jacket. “Aunt Maya... he... he grabbed me from the kitchen window. He said he was going to take me away.”
“I’ve got you, buddy. You’re safe now. I’m right here,” Maya whispered fiercely, holding him tight against her chest while keeping one wary eye fixed on the fallen man groaning on the deck.
With Leo safely behind her, Maya stood back up and walked over to Jax, kicking his right hand away to ensure he couldn't reach for any hidden weapons. She bent down and snatched up the manila envelope containing the stolen federal records and wire transfers that had fallen from her pocket during the struggle. She opened the flap, confirming every document was intact and undamaged. This wasn't just a neighborhood dispute anymore; this was concrete, undeniable proof of a massive criminal conspiracy tied directly to federal embezzlement and offshore accounts.
Just as Jax began to stir, pushing himself up onto his elbows with a miserable grunt, the wail of approaching sirens cut sharply through the quiet evening air. Flashing red and blue lights painted the trees and houses of Maple Crest Lane in harsh, alternating colors. Maya hadn't relied on local corrupt police; before rushing out the back door, she had used her phone to directly contact the state police cyber-crime and federal asset forfeiture division, uploading the digital copies of the records straight to a senior inspector’s secure terminal.
May you like
Two unmarked dark SUVs screeched to a halt in front of the house, doors flying open simultaneously as four armed state troopers and federal agents in tactical gear flooded the property, weapons drawn and ready for action.
Jax froze, looking up at the approaching federal agents with a face drained of all color. The game was finally, definitively up. The impenetrable armor of Maple Crest Lane had been completely shattered, and there was nowhere left for him to run.
