Chapter 6 - Sirens in the Fog
The wail of the approaching siren cut through the damp night air, vibrating through the thick glass of the foyer windows. Julian Tolin did not flinch; his dark eyes remained locked on Connor, assessing the younger man with a mixture of professional curiosity and chilling detachment.
"They're coming back," Arthur said, his voice rising in panic as he looked toward the open front door. "If the police find a stranger inside an active crime scene with us, they'll lock down the entire property. We'll never get out of here."
Julian calmly slid his leather cigarette case back into his coat pocket.
"The police aren't coming back for the fraud charges, Arthur," Julian said quietly. "They're coming back because the emergency dispatch received a priority call canceling the warrant."
Clara gasped, stepping back into the shadow of the archway.
"Canceled? How is that possible?" Clara asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Eleanor is in handcuffs in the back of a cruiser. We saw her leave."
"Eleanor Vance has spent forty years purchasing loyalty across every municipal department in this county," Julian replied, his tone devoid of surprise. "A phone call from the right holding cell is all it takes to reset the board. By the time those officers walk back through that door, the legal folder in Connor's jacket won't exist in the precinct database."
Connor shifted the sleeping baby slightly, feeling the infant stir at the rising volume of the sirens outside. He tightened his grip on the Tolin HDDEET folder, pressing it firmly against his ribs.
"It exists here," Connor said, tapping the folder with his free hand. "And I have digital backups synchronized to three separate off-site servers that activate if my heartbeat stops for more than ten minutes."
Julian raised an eyebrow, a flicker of genuine respect crossing his stern features.
"Prudent," Julian murmured. "But digital backups won't stop the men currently turning down your driveway in unmarked black sedans."
Arthur rushed to the window, pulling back the heavy velvet curtain just an inch. Two sleek, unlit vehicles had just blocked the driveway, their high beams cutting straight through the front windows of the house, blinding everyone in the foyer with a harsh, glaring white light.
"Who are they?" Arthur whispered, the color draining entirely from his face.
May you like
"The enforcement arm of the trust," Julian said smoothly, stepping toward the door. "And they don't negotiate like the police."
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