Chapter 9
Arthur pulled back instantly, his expression shifting from overwhelming relief to stark, tactical panic. He reached for a heavy iron poker by the fireplace, gesturing toward the back hallway. "They found us," Arthur said grimly, his voice dropping to an urgent whisper. "There’s a ridge trail behind the kitchen that leads down to the valley road. You need to leave—now." Emma wiped the tears from her cheeks, shaking her head with fierce determination. "No, Dad. I'm not running anymore. We brought the encrypted drive, and Perel Daley has the banking authorities on standby. If we stand together, we can expose them." Before Arthur could argue, the front door rattled violently under the force of a heavy boot kick. The reinforced lock splintered, and the door swung wide open to reveal Julian standing in the threshold, his grey blazer dusted with rain and pine needles. Behind him stood two burly security operatives in tactical gear, their faces grim and impassionate. Julian stepped into the warm light of the lodge, his lips curling into a cold, triumphant smile as he took in the sight of father and daughter standing together by the hearth. "Well, what a heartwarming family reunion," Julian mocked, slowly clapping his hands together. "I must admit, Arthur, you managed to stay buried longer than most rats do." Arthur stepped in front of Emma, raising the iron poker with surprising strength. "You're trespassing, Julian. And every financial transaction you've made over the past three years has just been locked down by federal regulators." Julian laughed, a harsh, humorless sound that echoed off the timber walls. "Regulators? Arthur, by the time the sun comes up, those accounts will be transferred to an offshore holding company that doesn't even exist on paper. And you two won't be around to contest the paperwork." He signaled to the operatives behind him, who advanced slowly into the room, their movements calculated and menacing. Emma’s heart hammered against her ribs, but she forced her breathing to remain steady. She remembered the smartphone left on the counter in the jewelry store, the digital breadcrumbs she had meticulously arranged before fleeing. Julian thought he was holding all the cards, but he didn't realize that Perel Daley had already configured the master system to trigger an automated federal audit the moment Julian attempted a secondary override.
