Chapter 5 - The Cornered VipersAt the high-rise offices of Vance Enterprises in downtown Chicago, the atmosphere was suffocating.
Dr. Harrison—a pale, middle-aged man in a wrinkled suit—sat sweating profusely in the main glass conference room. Beside him sat my aunt Victoria and Cousin Richard, who had summoned their own attorneys after being locked out of the estate.
They thought this was a civil dispute over estate access. They had no idea I possessed the toxicology reports.
When I stepped into the conference room, flanked by Arthur Sterling and two state police detectives in plain clothes, the room went dead silent.
Victoria stood up, placing her hands on her hips, attempting to maintain her usual high-society posture.
“Julian! This absurdity has gone far enough!” she declared loudly. “You had your private thugs toss us out of our family guest houses! You are ruining our family's reputation in the press!”
I sat down at the head of the conference table, opening a sleek black leather binder.
“Dr. Harrison,” I said, ignoring my aunt entirely. “Would you mind explaining to the gentlemen from the State Police why you administered 50 milligrams of liquid Diazepam to my wife three times a week without a psychiatric license?”
Dr. Harrison’s eyes widened in terror. He looked frantically at Victoria, then at the two police officers pulling out official badges.
“I... I was told...” Harrison stammered, his voice shaking violently. “Mrs. Victoria Vance told me it was an approved therapy by the family! She paid me fifty thousand dollars in cash!”
“You snitch!” Victoria shrieked, turning on the doctor.
“Shut up, Victoria!” Cousin Richard yelled, panic finally shattering his arrogant composure.
“Here are the bank statements, Detective,” Arthur Sterling said smoothly, handing a stack of certified documents to the lead officer. “Showing direct wire transfers from Victoria Vance’s account to Dr. Harrison’s offshore account in the Bahamas.”
The lead detective stepped forward, unholstering a pair of steel handcuffs.
“Victoria Vance and Richard Vance,” the detective announced firmly. “You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, felony poisoning, medical fraud, and corporate extortion.”
“No! You can't arrest me!” Victoria screamed as the cold steel snapped around her wrists. “Julian! Tell them to stop! I am your father's sister!”
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I leaned across the table, looking into her frantic, desperate eyes.
“My father is dead, Victoria,” I whispered. “And you are going to prison for the rest of your life.”
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