Chapter 8 - Four Stars
Derek stared at the four stars on Marcus's briefing folder.
Then at me.
"No."
Nobody spoke.
He actually laughed.
"You?"
"Yes."
"You're a general?"
"Four-star."
Charles Vane stood slowly.
Unlike Derek, he understood immediately.
Not because rank made me above the law.
It didn't.
But because his private operation had just intersected with someone who understood investigations, security, chains of command, and evidence far better than he'd expected.
Vane picked up his briefcase.
"I think this meeting is over."
"Sit down," Rebecca said.
He smiled.
"Are you ordering me?"
"No."
She placed a document before him.
"I'm informing you that a federal preservation order was issued this morning covering all records associated with WCG Capital."
Vane stopped smiling.
Derek looked at him.
"You said this couldn't happen."
Wrong sentence.
Everyone heard it.
Vane slowly turned toward him.
"Derek."
"You told me the transfers were protected."
Even worse.
Rebecca didn't move.
Emily didn't move.
I certainly didn't.
Derek finally realized he was talking too much.
But panic has a way of making stupid men honest.
He grabbed his folder.
"I'm leaving."
Emily blocked him.
"No."
"Move."
"No."
He reached for her.
I caught his wrist before he touched her.
"Don't."
He tried pulling away.
I released him immediately.
Not because I feared him.
Because twenty witnesses had just watched him attempt to intimidate his wife.
He looked around.
Nobody was on his side.
Then Marcus's phone buzzed.
He checked it.
His expression changed.
He handed it to me.
Security footage.
One of Derek's employees had entered my father's private office forty minutes earlier.
The man was carrying a red gasoline container.
I looked at Marcus.
"Call building security."
May you like
He already had.
Then the fire alarm began screaming.
