Chapter 8 - The Fall of Carmine
Two weeks after the breach of the Meridian Tower, the legal war reached its final, absolute conclusion.
In the grand courtroom of the King County Superior Courthouse, Don Carmine Moretti sat at the defense table, looking older, weaker, and completely stripped of his former power.
His son, Marco, was currently sitting in a federal detention center without bail. Federal investigators, utilizing evidence seized from Marco’s personal encrypted drives during the raid, had uncovered the ultimate truth:
It was not Rowan Ashby who had set the harbor fire two years ago.
It was Marco Moretti himself, acting under Carmine's implicit orders to eliminate Elena after she threatened to expose the family's international smuggling operations to federal prosecutors.
I sat in the front row of the gallery, wearing a navy tailored dress, holding Finn on my lap. Across the aisle sat Arthur Vance, surrounded by boxes of legal ledgers and federal indictments.
Judge Sarah Jenkins looked down from the bench with absolute, stern authority.
"In light of the overwhelming evidence provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation," Judge Jenkins declared, her voice echoing through the silent courtroom, "this court finds that Don Carmine Moretti and his associated syndicate pose an immediate, severe threat to the safety and well-being of the minor child, Finn Ashby."
Carmine bowed his head, his hands trembling against his wooden cane.
"Furthermore," Judge Jenkins continued, "all petitions for custody or visitation filed by the Moretti family are hereby denied with prejudice. A permanent, nationwide restraining order is issued. Rowan Ashby is granted sole, absolute, unchallengeable legal and physical custody."
The judge struck her heavy wooden gavel down onto the block. BANG.
Rowan stood up from the plaintiff’s table. He didn't look at Carmine as federal marshals stepped up to place the old man under arrest for criminal conspiracy.
Rowan turned around and walked straight toward the gallery.
He didn't stop at Arthur Vance. He didn't stop to talk to the reporters gathering at the doors.
He walked straight to Meg, dropped to one knee in front of her chair, and took her hand in his.
"Thank you," Rowan whispered, looking up at her with eyes full of quiet, endless devotion. "For giving me back my son. For giving me back my life."
Meg smiled, her fingers intertwining with his. "We did it together, Rowan."
Finn leaned over from Meg’s lap, grabbing Rowan’s tie and pulling it gently.
May you like
"Home?" Finn asked clearly, looking between the two of them. "Make duck?"
Rowan let out a soft laugh, kissing Finn’s small forehead before looking back up into Meg’s eyes. "Yes, buddy. We're going home. And we're making a duck."
