Chapter 9 - The Fall of the House of Carter
The door to the adjoining hotel room burst open.
Detective Miller and four armed officers stepped into the suite, their weapons drawn.
"Police! Nobody move! Hands where we can see them!"
Daniel shrieked, dropping to his knees immediately, his hands over his head. Arthur Vance tried to reach for his briefcase, but an officer tackled him to the floor, cuffing him in seconds.
Barbara stood frozen, her eyes wide with terror as she looked at the police officers, then at the hidden cameras disguised as smoke detectors on the ceiling.
"What is this?" she screamed. "We haven't done anything wrong! This is our property! Daniel is her husband!"
"Your husband is about to go to prison for a very long time, Mrs. Corey," Detective Miller said, pulling Barbara’s arms behind her back and clicking the handcuffs into place. "And so are you. Wire fraud, interstate transport of stolen property, extortion, and conspiracy."
I stepped out of the surveillance van and walked into the hotel lobby, my mother by my side. We took the elevator up to the tenth floor. When the doors opened, we saw the police leading Daniel, Barbara, and Arthur Vance out in handcuffs.
Daniel saw me. He stopped, his eyes pleading, tears streaming down his face.
"Emily! please! Tell them it was a mistake! I was just trying to help my family! I love you, Emily!"
I walked up to him. I didn't feel angry anymore. I didn't feel sad. I just felt an immense, clean sense of distance.
"You didn't love me, Daniel," I said, my voice calm and quiet. "You loved the fifteen million dollars. And you were willing to destroy me to get it. I hope whatever they pay you in prison is worth it."
He opened his mouth to speak, but Detective Miller pushed him toward the elevators.
Barbara glared at me as she was led past, her face twisted in rage. "You ruined us! You think you're so smart? You're nothing without us!"
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"Actually, Barbara," my mother said, stepping in front of her, her voice cool and steady. "She's fifteen million dollars richer, free of your pathetic family, and she has her whole life ahead of her. You, on the other hand, are going to have to get used to orange. It really doesn't suit your skin tone."
As they were led away, the hallway fell into a beautiful, perfect silence.
