Chapter 10
The metallic clang of the heavy iron cell door echoed off the damp concrete walls of the precinct holding block. Julian paced the narrow perimeter of the holding cell like a trapped wolf, his tuxedo jacket discarded on the steel bench, his white shirt wrinkled and stained. Through the reinforced glass partition, he saw the heavy boots of a federal marshal approach, followed by the familiar, unmistakable silhouette of his mother’s legal counsel.
Instead of Arthur, however, the person stepping into the visitation booth was Victoria. She looked immaculate in her tailored dark green trench coat, her blond hair pulled back into a severe, elegant chignon that defied the chaos swirling around them.
Julian rushed to the glass, slamming his palm against the plexiglass partition. "Get me out of here, Victoria! Call the governor, call the appellate judges—do whatever it takes!"
Victoria sat down slowly on the metal stool on the other side of the glass, picking up the heavy black telephone receiver with deliberate slowness. She didn't look at him immediately; she simply stared at her reflection in the dark glass.
"The governor won't take our calls, Julian," Victoria said calmly through the intercom speaker. "Your accounts have been frozen, your assets seized, and the board has unanimously voted to strip you of your voting shares."
"You let this happen," Julian hissed, his face flushing with a murderous rage. "You and Mother planned this from the start so you could take over the syndicate."
"We built this syndicate, Julian," Victoria corrected coldly, her eyes finally locking onto his through the glass. "You were merely the caretaker we foolishly trusted to keep the doors open. But your arrogance made you careless. You thought you could treat Amy like a piece of decorative furniture, and instead, you handed her the keys to our entire vault."
"Where is she?" Julian demanded, his voice dropping to a dangerous, pleading whisper. "Tell me where Amy went."
"She’s gone, Julian," Victoria replied, a hint of genuine pity finally creeping into her voice. "And she’s taking the child far away from the toxic shadow of this family name. You will never see either of them again."
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Julian slammed his fist against the glass one last time, the sound muffled by the thick security pane. "She can't hide from me forever. I still have resources you don't know about."
"You have nothing left, Julian," Victoria said, slowly hanging up the telephone receiver. "Not your money, not your freedom, and certainly not your family."
