Chapter 8 - The Interrogation
The blinding LED headlights of the two black SUVs pierced the darkness like physical barriers, pinning Clara and Arthur against the rough stone perimeter wall of the Sterling estate. The heavy engines idled with a low, menacing rumble that vibrated through the gravel beneath their feet. Clara shielded her eyes with one hand, her fingers instinctively tightening around the manila envelope hidden inside her jacket. Beside her, Arthur leaned heavily against the stone wall, gasping for breath as the cold night air burned his lungs.
The driver-side door of the lead vehicle swung open, and Daniel stepped out into the harsh glare of the headlights. He wore his black polo shirt and dark trousers, his short dark hair undisturbed by the wind. He walked slowly toward them with an air of absolute authority, his hands casually tucked into his pockets as if he were taking a leisurely evening stroll across his own private kingdom.
"An impressive effort, Clara," Daniel said, his voice carrying clearly over the idling engines. He stopped a few feet away, his dark eyes shifting briefly to Arthur before fixing back on his wife. "I genuinely didn't think you had the stamina to find the old coal chute. You always underestimate people until they prove themselves inconvenient."
Clara stepped in front of Arthur, shielding the elderly attorney with her own body. The red mark on her cheek throbbed in the cold air, but her gaze was completely steady, devoid of fear.
"It's over, Daniel," Clara said, her voice ringing clear and firm. "The forensic files, the witness testimonies, Arthur’s sworn statement—copies of this entire packet were uploaded to an independent cloud server the moment we accessed the Wi-Fi repeater in the sub-basement. If anything happens to us, the police and the federal prosecutor receive the complete archive automatically."
Daniel stopped walking. For the first time since the confrontation began, the mask of absolute control slipped slightly. A muscle twitched in his jaw, and his eyes narrowed dangerously as he calculated the truth behind her bluff.
"You're a remarkably poor liar, Clara," Daniel replied softly, though a subtle edge of uncertainty crept into his tone. "There is no Wi-Fi signal in the sub-basement. The Faraday shielding we installed during the 2018 renovation blocks all cellular and wireless transmission entirely."
"Are you entirely sure about that?" a new voice called out from the shadows near the access road.
Daniel spun around sharply. Stepping out from behind the second SUV was Detective Miller of the state police, flanked by two uniformed officers with their body cameras flashing active red lights.
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Arthur let out a ragged gasp of relief, while Daniel’s face drained of every trace of color as he realized the trap had just been sprung in reverse.
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