Chapter 25 - The Quiet Aftermath
The island returned to an eerie, profound silence once the federal transport vanished back into the gray mist toward the mainland. Inside the cottage, the only sound was the crackle of dry cedar logs burning in the stone fireplace, casting a warm, flickering amber glow across the minimalist living room. Margaret poured herself a cup of black coffee from the porcelain pot, her hands entirely steady as she carried it over to the bay window. Arthur Vance was on the speakerphone resting on the reclaimed wood coffee table, his voice tinny but clear. "The marshals have her locked down in a high-security holding facility in Seattle," Vance reported, sounding thoroughly exhausted. "The administrative pardon she bought was executed through a corrupted district clerk who has already been arrested by the FBI. She’s not getting out this time, Margaret. They’re slapping her with interstate stalking, parole violation, and attempted assault with a chemical weapon. She's looking at a minimum of ten years with no possibility of early release." Margaret took a slow sip of her coffee, letting the bitter warmth ground her. "And the shell company that funded the legal loophole?" "We traced the wire transfers back to an offshore account registered in the Cayman Islands under a dummy corporation," Vance said, a note of satisfaction creeping into his voice. "Guess whose name was listed as the primary beneficiary?" Margaret didn't need to guess. "Daniel's ex-brother-in-law? Or one of Victoria’s old society enablers?" "Worse," Vance replied grimly. "It was funded by what remains of your former daughter-in-law’s mother’s estate—money that was supposed to have been completely frozen in the civil restitution settlements from last year. Someone on the inside of the probate court helped them siphon it out." "Tie up the loose ends, Arthur," Margaret instructed quietly, her eyes reflecting the dancing flames in the hearth. "I want every single person who touched that fraudulent transaction exposed, prosecuted, and stripped of whatever assets they have left. I won't have this bleeding into the wedding next month." "Consider it done," Vance said. "Enjoy your coffee, Margaret. The storm has finally broken."
