Chapter 16 - The Roots of a New Life
Spring arrived in Seattle with an explosion of cherry blossoms and crisp, rejuvenating air. Three months had passed since the federal indictments dismantled the remnants of the Moretti syndicate and sent Camille and Julian Aris into the deep, inescapable confines of a maximum-security federal penitentiary in Colorado.
Declan Walsh stood on the front lawn of his Mercer Island estate, sleeves rolled up, supervising a landscaping crew as they tore out the final remnants of the perimeter security grid. Heavy cables were pulled from the soil, and the concrete bunkers that once housed tactical emergency supplies were filled in with rich topsoil and planted with rows of English roses.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was a call from Sarah Lindqvist, the court-appointed receiver.
“Declan,” Sarah’s voice chimed crisp and clear through the speaker. “I’m looking at the final audit reports from the Department of Justice. The corporate restructuring is officially complete. All shadow accounts have been liquidated into legitimate public trusts, and your personal holdings are completely clean.”
“Thank you, Sarah,” Declan replied, wiping a trace of soil from his hands. “It’s been a long road, but it feels good to finally close that chapter.”
“Well, close one chapter, and open another,” Sarah teased gently. “Rumor has it your property is hosting a rather large community gathering this weekend. Is the former underground syndicate boss turning into a suburban philanthropist?”
May you like
Declan laughed softly. “Something like that. Come by this Sunday if you want to see what life looks like without bulletproof glass.”
He hung up, looking out over the open, sunlit expanse of his yard. The walls were gone, and for the first time in his life, Declan felt completely untethered from fear.
