Chapter 5 - Caught in the Crosshairs
Troy’s face went pale. He pointed a trembling finger toward the floor.
“Frank... Sarah... look at that.”
Frank spun around, his flashlight beam slashing downward, illuminating my face in a blinding flash of white light.
I didn't cower. I stood up slowly from behind the console table, my legs stiff, my coat dripping slightly from the damp air. I looked straight into my brother’s eyes.
“Hello, Troy,” I said, my voice unnaturally calm, cutting through the silence of the foyer like a razor.
Troy staggered back a step, colliding with the coat rack. “Amelia? What... what are you doing here? You said your flight landed at five! You should have been home hours ago!”
“Your Uber suggestion took a little longer than expected,” I replied evenly, taking a slow step forward. “And traffic from the airport was heavy. But I’m so glad you decided to drop by. It’s not every day your family visits you unannounced at midnight to help burglarize your house.”
“We aren't burglarizing anything,” Sarah hissed, stepping forward with her briefcase clutched tightly against her chest. “This is a legal asset recovery mandated by the estate executors.”
“My husband isn't even cold in his grave, Sarah, and you’re standing in my hallway holding stolen property,” I snapped, my voice rising, losing its coldness as anger surged through my veins. I turned my glare onto my brother. “And you, Troy. Mom called you to check the keys? You sold me out before my plane even touched the tarmac.”
Troy swallowed hard, guilt flickering across his face for a split second before his usual arrogant mask slid back into place. “You don't understand, Em. Dad and Mom are just trying to protect the family interests. James’s overseas investments were a mess. Arthur said—”
“Arthur Vance is a criminal,” I interrupted, stepping closer until I was standing right in front of my brother. I could smell the expensive scotch on his breath. “And you are a coward.”
Frank stepped between us, his large frame blocking my path. “Look, lady, we don't have time for a family therapy session. Sarah, grab the ledger and let's get out of here. The cops are gonna be asking questions if we stay much longer.”
“Too late,” I said, pulling my phone out and holding the screen up so they could all see the active emergency tracking timer counting down the seconds. “The police were notified ten minutes ago. They’ll be pulling into the driveway any second now.”
Sarah’s face drained of color. “You called the cops?”
“It’s my house,” I smiled coldly. “I have that right.”
Panik erupted in the foyer. Frank cursed loudly, dropping the black ledger onto the floor as he lunged toward the front door. Sarah scrambled after him, nearly tripping over her own high heels.
Troy panicked, looking between the door and me, paralyzed by indecision.
“You’re ruining everything, Amelia!” Troy shouted, his voice cracking with panic. “Mom is going to lose her mind! Arthur is going to sue you into oblivion!”
“Let them try,” I said.
Suddenly, the front windows of the house illuminated in a sweeping arc of flashing blue and red lights.
May you like
Sirens wailed into the night air, cutting through the sound of the rain with a deafening shriek as two police cruisers slid to a halt right across our driveway, blocking Troy’s car completely in.
The trap had sprung. But the real explosion hadn't even happened yet.
