Chapter 4 - The Midnight Interrogation
The interrogation room at the precinct smelled of stale coffee, old paper, and cheap disinfectant. Under the harsh fluorescent glare, Daniel Miller looked nothing like the untouchable corporate titan who ruled Wall Street and Chicago high society. His designer shirt was wrinkled, his hair was messy, and the expensive Rolex on his wrist felt like dead weight now that the police had confiscated his passport and phone.
Detective Vance—the younger brother of Richard Vance—slapped a thick manila folder onto the metal table with a sharp thud. “Let’s not waste time, Miller. Your wife dropped a bomb on us. Not only do we have hospital records of severe physical abuse, but we also have financial documents detailing systemic fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement.”
Daniel scoffed, leaning back in his chair with an arrogant smirk, though his eyes darted nervously toward the two-way mirror. “My wife is a disturbed, unstable woman suffering from severe psychiatric delusions. She fell down the basement stairs and broke her own wrist for attention. Anything she gave you is fabricated garbage from a bitter, vindictive divorcee.”
“Is that why she also provided audio recordings of you threatening to ruin her family if she ever spoke a word?” Detective Vance asked calmly, pressing play on a small digital recorder.
Daniel’s smirk vanished instantly as his own voice echoed through the cold room: *‘If you ever tell a soul about what happened in this house, Clara, I will make sure your sister loses her custody battle and your parents' nursing home gets foreclosed within twenty-four hours. You belong to me.’*
“That’s an illegal wiretap! It’s inadmissible!” Daniel roared, leaping to his feet and slamming his palms onto the table. “I want my lawyer! I want Richard Vance here right now!”
“Richard Vance is currently being paid a visit by federal agents,” Detective Vance said smoothly, leaning forward with a predator’s smile. “Turns out, your little offshore Cayman accounts lead right to his doorstep. Your partner didn’t wait five minutes to throw you under the bus, Daniel. He’s already cutting a deal with the U.S. Attorney.”
Daniel’s breath caught in his throat. The room seemed to spin around him as the realization crashed down like an avalanche. Richard had betrayed him. His mother had underestimated Clara. And he was completely, utterly cornered.
“If you want to save yourself twenty years in a federal prison, Miller,” Detective Vance whispered, sliding a blank notepad across the table, “you’re going to start talking. Tell us everything about the money laundering ring.”
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Daniel stared at the paper, his hands trembling violently. For the first time in his life, power wasn't saving him. Fear was eating him alive from the inside out.
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