Chapter 11
Returning to the precinct after dropping Chloe off at the airport felt strange. The air in the bullpen was thick with the usual background noise of ringing phones, clacking keyboards, and officers swapping stories over stale coffee, but Evelyn felt a distinct sense of quiet within herself.
She sat down at her desk, booting up her terminal to finish the final administrative reports on the Sterling case. Marcus walked by, tossing a fresh cup of black coffee onto her blotter.
“All checked in?” Marcus asked, leaning against the edge of her cubicle.
“Boarded flight 412 bound for Cleveland twenty minutes ago,” Evelyn reported, typing her badge number into the report header. “They’re heading home. Richard’s federal indictment was officially filed this morning by the U.S. Attorney’s office. Twenty-two counts of wire fraud, grand larceny, and conspiracy.”
“And Elena?”
“Already on a private flight to Zurich,” Evelyn said without looking up. “She liquidated her personal accounts, sold the estate, and left the country before the asset forfeiture could touch her personal inheritance. She and Richard are officially divorcing via international proxy.”
Marcus whistled. “Talk about a clean break. The whole Sterling empire collapsed like a house of cards in less than a week.”
“Greed always builds on a weak foundation,” Evelyn observed, pressing the submit button on her terminal. The green checkmark flashed across the screen, signifying the official closure of the file. “He thought he could treat human beings like disposable assets. He forgot that people fight back when you push them too far.”
“Well,” Marcus said, pushing off the cubicle wall, “you handled it like a pro, Ev. Cases like this remind you why we put on the uniform every morning. It’s not just about writing tickets or hauling bad guys into holding; it’s about stepping into the chaos and giving people a second chance.”
“Thanks, Marcus,” Evelyn said, leaning back in her chair and taking a sip of the hot coffee. “I think I’m going to take the rest of the afternoon off. Go for a long run, clear my head.”
May you like
“Go for it. You’ve earned it.”
As Evelyn walked out of the precinct doors into the bright afternoon sunlight, she felt the warm desert wind brush against her face. She looked down the long stretch of highway leading out toward the interstate, thinking of Chloe and Lily soaring high above the clouds toward a safe, quiet life in Ohio.
