Chapter 5 - Freezing Point
By 2:00 AM, the cold reality had stripped away whatever pride the Hayes family had left.
The deputies had cleared the house. Because the private security team held the legal court order granting Sovereign Crest sole custody of the estate, Daniel, Marjorie, Greg, and Amanda were forced onto the wet asphalt of the driveway.
The rain had started to fall—a cold, relentless October drizzle that soaked through their designer cocktail attire.
Marjorie, who three hours earlier had dumped a bucket of ice water over my shivering body, was now huddled beneath a garden umbrella that had been blown over by the wind. Her silk gown was ruined, dragging in the wet gravel. Her makeup ran down her face in black streaks.
""Daniel, call your friends!"" Marjorie wept, her teeth chattering violently. ""Call Senator Ross! Call the country club president! Someone has to stop this!""
Daniel sat on the wet curb, his head between his knees. His tuxedo jacket was soaked through. His phone screen was lit up with hundreds of red notifications:
ALERT: Commercial Account #4402 - FROZEN BY COURT ORDER.
ALERT: Personal Line of Credit - REVOKED.
ALERT: Corporate Amex #9101 - SUSPENDED.
""There are no friends, Mom,"" Daniel muttered, his voice dead and hollow. ""The senator was an investor in the downtown project. The moment he finds out Sovereign Crest pulled funding, he won't even spit in my direction. We're broke. We're worse than broke. We owe thirty million dollars in construction guarantees.""
Just then, the headlights of a sleek black town car swept over the driveway.
Daniel looked up with a flicker of pathetic hope. ""Claire? Is that Claire?!""
The car stopped. The driver stepped out with a large black umbrella, opening the rear door.
It wasn't me. It was Evelyn Cross, the managing director of the State Licensing Board and a close personal friend of my late grandfather. Beside her was Detective Miller from the Financial Crimes Unit.
Evelyn stepped onto the gravel, her heels clicking crisply. She looked down at Daniel with cold disdain.
""Daniel Hayes,"" Evelyn said, holding a formal state seal document. ""As of midnight, Apex Construction’s commercial building license has been suspended indefinitely pending investigation into structural safety fraud on the 4th Street Tower.""
Daniel lunged forward, crawling on his knees across the wet gravel, oblivious to the mud soaking through his trousers.
""Mrs. Cross, please! The foundation is solid! It was just a minor grade variation on the rebar! We can fix it! Don't pull the license—if you pull the license, every general contractor bond will default!""
""You should have thought about that before you forged Claire Hart’s signature on the safety indemnification waivers,"" Detective Miller said, stepping forward. ""Mr. Hayes, we aren't arresting you tonight because we want you to have time to consult an attorney. But you are officially under federal investigation for bank fraud, wire fraud, and grand larceny.""
Detective Miller turned to Marjorie, who was shivering under her broken umbrella.
""And as for you, Mrs. Hayes... Detective Ramirez will be waiting at the precinct tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM regarding the domestic assault charge and the missing family heirlooms reported by Ms. Hart. If you fail to appear, a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest.""
Marjorie collapsed onto the gravel, wailing like a wounded animal. ""This is an outrage! I am an old woman! You are leaving me in the rain!""
Arthur Vance walked out of the front door of the mansion, holding an umbrella over his head. He looked down at the shivering, weeping family.
May you like
""I believe,"" Arthur said quietly, ""that earlier tonight, someone remarked that crawling is 'what useless people do.' It seems the metaphor was remarkably prophetic.""
Arthur turned to the security guard at the gate. ""Lock the gates. Cut the power to the external heaters. And call a single yellow cab for them. If they cannot pay the fare, they can walk to the motel by the highway.""
