Chapter 10: A Visit to the Precinct
The 12th Precinct was a chaotic, buzzing hive of overworked detectives and angry suspects. But when Evelyn Thorne walked through the double doors, flanked by two high-priced corporate lawyers, the room seemed to momentarily hold its breath. The police chief himself, a man whose pension fund heavily relied on Belmont Hotel Group stock, hurried out of his office to greet her.
"Miss Thorne, this is highly irregular," Chief Harris said nervously, sweating under the harsh fluorescent lights. "Your ex-husband is facing grand larceny charges, among other things. We can't just let you chat with him."
"Chief Harris," Evelyn said smoothly, removing her leather gloves. "Julian stole from my gala. He assaulted me. My lawyers are here to discuss a plea deal on my behalf. Five minutes in the interrogation room. Alone."
Harris swallowed hard, glancing at the intimidating lawyers, then nodded. "Five minutes. No cameras, audio only. And I'm shutting the audio off."
Evelyn was escorted down a bleak, gray hallway to Interrogation Room C. When she opened the door, she found Julian handcuffed to the metal table. He looked up, his face bruised from the security guards taking him down, his eyes bloodshot and frantic.
When he saw Evelyn, a mix of pure hatred and desperate relief washed over his face. "Evelyn! You have to get me out of here! Tell them you drop the charges! Tell them it was a misunderstanding!"
Evelyn sat calmly in the metal chair across from him, resting her hands on the table. "You look terrible, Julian."
"They're going to kill me!" Julian sobbed, pulling frantically at the handcuffs. "The people I was working for... if they find out I lost the brooch, I'm dead! You have to help me!"
"I know exactly who you were working for, Julian. Anton Kestrel."
Julian froze, the color completely draining from his face. "How... how do you know that name?"
"Because Kestrel already sent a hit squad to my house tonight to retrieve the drive you so stupidly slipped into your mother's purse," Evelyn said, her voice dropping to a terrifying whisper. "My security took care of them. But Kestrel knows you failed. Right now, there are probably three snipers aiming at the windows of this precinct, waiting to put a bullet in your head when they transfer you to county lockup."
"No, no, no," Julian hyperventilated, tears streaming down his face. "I didn't know what was on it! I swear! I owed millions to the mob from my gambling. A man approached me... said if I carried the brooch into the gala and handed it off to a waiter named 'Sasha,' my debts would be wiped clean!"
"Where was the fallback rendezvous?" Evelyn demanded, leaning forward. "If the drop failed, how was Kestrel planning to extract the drive?"
"The docks!" Julian cried out. "Pier 44! A cargo ship called the Iron Star. It leaves at dawn! Evelyn, please, you have to protect me!"
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Evelyn stood up, smoothing her trench coat. She had what she needed. "Protect you? Julian, you used our six-year-old daughter as a shield for a terrorist." She looked down at him with utter disgust. "I hope you enjoy prison. Because it’s the only place Kestrel can't reach you."
She turned and walked out of the room, leaving Julian screaming her name.
Here are chapters 11 through 15, escalating the action as Evelyn takes the fight directly to the enemy.
