Chapter 4 - The Showdown on the Driveway
At eleven-fifteen that morning, two marked San Diego County Sheriff cruisers pulled onto our quiet Coronado street, their roof lights strobing silently against the palm trees.
Behind them parked a military police vehicle carrying two armed naval master-at-arms officers.
I stepped out of my truck, accompanied by Captain Torres and two civilian sheriff’s deputies carrying official legal notices.
Standing on our front lawn, loading expensive designer luggage into the trunk of a red BMW convertible, were Simon and Larkin Price.
Larkin wore oversized sunglasses and a silk headscarf, looking visibly irritated as she shoved a garment bag into the back seat.
"Simon, this is ridiculous!" Larkin complained loudly, pointing at our front porch. "You told me your wife wouldn't be back until July! Why am I being forced to pack my things in broad daylight?"
"Just shut up and get in the car, Larkin!" Simon snapped, frantically trying to zip a duffel bag stuffed with expensive suits he had bought with my deployment pay.
Deputy Martinez walked across the manicured grass, holding out a thick blue-backed legal folder.
"Simon Kincaid?" the deputy called out in an authoritative baritone.
Simon stopped, dropping the duffel bag onto the gravel driveway as four armed officers surrounded his vehicle.
"What is this?" Simon yelled, his face turning an alarming shade of purple. "I own this house! This is an illegal police harassment!"
"Mr. Kincaid, you are being formally served with an emergency ex parte domestic violence and child endangerment protective order issued by the San Diego Superior Court," Deputy Martinez announced, handing him the summons.
Simon snatched the paper, his hands trembling so violently he nearly tore the parchment.
"Child endangerment?" Simon shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at me as I stood beside the patrol car in my service dress uniform. "She’s lying! I am a loving father! I provided everything for that boy!"
"You provided him with an overturned bucket and chemical burns on his wrists, Mr. Kincaid," Deputy Martinez replied coldly. "You have twenty minutes to vacate this premises. You are prohibited from coming within five hundred yards of Commander Kincaid, Jonah Kincaid, or his school."
Larkin stepped out from behind the convertible, pushing her sunglasses up onto her head, her face pale with sudden apprehension.
"Excuse me, Officer," Larkin interjected smoothly, attempting to salvage her dignity. "I have nothing to do with their marital disputes. I am an independent corporate consultant."
Captain Torres stepped forward, pulling a second official manila envelope from her briefcase.
"Miss Larkin Price?" Torres asked with a chilling, professional smile.
Larkin blinked nervously. "Yes?"
"You are being served with a federal subpoena from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service regarding an active criminal inquiry into interstate wire fraud and conspiracy to convert military deployment allowances," Torres stated with devastating clarity.
Larkin gasped, stumbling backward against the fender of her car, her designer purse slipping from her shoulder and spilling cosmetics across the asphalt.
"Wire fraud?" Larkin whispered in horror, her eyes darting frantically to Simon. "Simon, you told me those transfers were consulting dividends from your family trust!"
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"Larkin, don't say another word!" Simon yelled in absolute panic.
"You used stolen military money to pay for my company's marketing retainers?" Larkin screamed, lunging at Simon with her manicured nails. "You lied to me! You told me you were a multi-millionaire entrepreneur!"
