Chapter 11
The fluorescent lights of the downtown police precinct hummed with a relentless, low-frequency drone that mirrored the thumping in Clara's temples. Sitting in a quiet conference room off the main bullpen, she sipped a paper cup of lukewarm water provided by a sympathetic female detective named Sergeant Miller—no relation to Mark. Marcus sat across the table, reviewing the digital backup drives on a secure laptop, while Dr. Hayes had returned to the hospital after ensuring Clara was physically stable.
The door opened, and Sergeant Miller walked in, holding a clipboard with a signed statement. "Mark is being processed downstairs in holding. He invoked his right to counsel immediately, but his mother is talking to anyone who will listen, trying to pin the entire offshore setup on him while claiming she knew nothing."
"Evelyn knew everything," Clara said, her voice calm and firm. "She managed the shell company paperwork for their family trust. I saw her sign the transfer documents last month when she visited our accountant."
Sergeant Miller made a note on her clipboard. "We're looking into her accounts as well. Given the federal nature of the embezzlement charges, this case is moving up to the district attorney's office by morning. Clara, you're free to go wherever you need to stay. We have a safe house network available if you're concerned about retaliation, though Mark won't be making bail anytime soon given the size of the flight risk."
"I'm going to my sister's place in Columbus," Clara replied, standing up and buttoning her clean scrubs—Sarah had managed to find a spare set in the hospital linen closet before she left. "She has a guest room ready, and she's a pediatrician. It's the safest place for me and the baby."
May you like
Marcus looked up from his laptop. "I'll be handling the corporate handover with the federal receivers tomorrow morning, Clara. Once the court unfreezes your personal assets—the ones Mark didn't manage to siphon—you'll have full access to your father's estate funds. The bank has already flagged the fraudulent transfer as unauthorized."
Clara felt a weight lift from her shoulders that she hadn't fully realized she was carrying. The nightmare that had begun in her bright kitchen just hours ago was finally coming to a legal end. She thanked Sergeant Miller and Marcus, then walked out of the precinct into the cool, pre-dawn air of the city.
