Chapter 7: The Gathering Storm
By Tuesday, news of Victoria Vance's arrest had ignited a media firestorm across the country. Cable news networks ran non-stop loops of her perp walk, analyzing the leaked fragments of the audio recording. High-priced defense attorneys swarmed the federal detention center, attempting to suppress the wiretap evidence under state surveillance laws.
Victoria’s lead counsel, a ruthless corporate fixer named Jonathan Sterling, held a press conference outside the Manhattan courthouse.
"These outrageous allegations are the desperate fiction of an opportunistic infiltrator," Sterling declared to the sea of microphones. "The recordings were obtained through illegal entrapment and emotional manipulation. Mrs. Vance will be fully exonerated."
In the safe house, Alvarez turned off the television with a click of the remote. "Sterling is good. He’s already filed motions to throw out Clara’s audio based on jurisdictional technicalities."
"Let him try," Clara said, tying her hair back. "The audio was only meant to buy us time to secure the Boston vault. Did Julian get the clearance?"
Alvarez nodded. "The bank manager verified the authorization code. Julian is on his way there now with federal marshals. If that ledger contains the offshore banking routes for the tainted trial settlements, Sterling won't have a leg to stand on."
Suddenly, the phone on the kitchen counter buzzed. Alvarez answered it, his expression darkening instantly.
"What do you mean she posted bail?" Alvarez demanded into the receiver. "On a murder indictment?"
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He listened for several seconds, then lowered the phone, his jaw tight. "A corrupt county judge approved an emergency medical furlough. Victoria is out under private house arrest. And her security detail just went dark."
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