Chapter 5 - Whispers of GraceThe Soho cigar lounge was thick with smoke and the scent of expensive bourbon. Thomas Vance sat in a private booth near the back, a heavy glass of scotch in his hand, looking entirely pleased with himself. He was a stocky man in his late fifties, with a scarred jaw and eyes that had seen too much.
Daniel walked in, flanked by Marcus and two plainclothes federal agents. The lounge was quiet, the few other patrons ignoring the newcomers.
"Thomas," Daniel said, stepping into the light of the booth.
Thomas looked up, his expression shifting from arrogance to mild amusement. "Daniel. To what do I owe the honor? Shouldn't you be at your mother’s gala, playing the grieving boy?"
"The gala is over, Thomas," Daniel said, sitting opposite him. Marcus and the agents stood behind him, forming an imposing wall. "And so is your run as my mother’s fixer."
Thomas laughed, a dry, grating sound. "You think you have something on me, kid? I’ve been doing this since before you were in diapers. I’m clean."
"You were clean," Marcus intervened, tossing a thick folder onto the table. "Until we raided the upstate cabin three hours ago. We found your DNA on the door handle. We found your signature on the lease for the property under the Apex Holdings name. And we found the financial transfers from your offshore account to the guards’ bank accounts."
Thomas’s smile faltered. He looked at the folder, then at the federal badges peeking from the agents' jackets.
"And that’s not all," Daniel added, leaning forward. "We have Dr. Mercer. He’s already given a full statement detailing how you threatened his family to get him to fake Sarah's dental records. Kidnapping, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, fraud... you’re looking at consecutive life sentences, Thomas. No parole."
Thomas stared at Daniel, the reality of his situation finally sinking in. "Your mother will protect me. She has the best lawyers in the state."
"My mother will cut you loose the second she realizes you're a liability," Daniel countered. "In fact, she’s probably already arranging to have you silenced. You know how she operates, Thomas. You’re only useful to her as long as you're quiet. The moment you become a threat, you're just a loose end."
Thomas’s face went pale. He knew Daniel was right. Evelyn Reed had no loyalty to anyone, least of all the people who did her dirty work.
"What do you want?" Thomas muttered, his voice suddenly stripped of its bravado.
"I want the paper trail," Daniel said. "I want the recorded conversations, the emails, the direct proof that Evelyn ordered Sarah’s kidnapping and the faked death. Give me that, and the prosecutor will recommend a reduced sentence. You might actually see the outside of a federal prison before you die."
Thomas closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling heavily. The silence stretched for what felt like an eternity. Finally, he nodded.
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"I have a safe," Thomas whispered. "In my office. A USB drive with every call I recorded with her over the last five years. I kept them as insurance. I knew this day might come."
Daniel smiled, a cold, hard expression. "Smart man, Thomas. Let's go get your insurance."
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