Chapter 8 - The Hunt in Zurich
The Swiss Alps were shrouded in a thick blanket of winter fog.
A high-speed train rattled along the snow-covered tracks leading from Zurich Airport toward the secluded, grand estate of the James family in the mountains of St. Moritz.
Inside a private first-class cabin sat Elizabeth and Marcus Vance.
Elizabeth was looking out at the snow-covered pine trees, wearing a heavy dark coat. Beside her lay a satellite laptop connected to an encrypted security network provided by Marcus's international legal contacts.
In Manhattan, Andrew had been released on a five-million-dollar temporary bail secured by Marcus’s legal team at dawn. Though Andrew was forced to surrender his passport and remain under house arrest in his penthouse with Alex, he was funding Elizabeth’s international strike team with unlimited capital.
"Julian’s private jet landed in Zurich three hours ago," Marcus explained, pointing at a map on his tablet. "He’s currently residing at the Villa Rosa—Eleanor’s private mountain retreat. He thinks he’s safe because Switzerland doesn't immediately extradite for financial crimes without extensive diplomatic reviews."
"He doesn't care about the money, Marcus," Elizabeth said, her voice cold and analytical. "Julian is a weak coward who has been controlled by Eleanor his entire life. Eleanor promised him something in exchange for framing Andrew."
"What?"
"My niece," Elizabeth said, her knuckles turning white. "Eleanor held Lily in that Swiss boarding school to keep Julian obedient. Now that Julian performed the final crime to ruin Andrew, Eleanor promised to let him have his daughter back so they could flee to South America."
The train came to a smooth stop at the quiet mountain station of St. Moritz.
Thirty minutes later, an armored black SUV hired by Marcus pulled up near the perimeter gates of Villa Rosa—a massive, fortress-like stone chalet perched high on a snowy cliff, surrounded by dense pine forests.
"Swiss local police won't enter private property without a local warrant," Marcus warned as they observed the estate through binoculars. "We have to force Julian to confess voluntarily on record."
"He will confess," Elizabeth said, pulling a compact audio recorder and a hidden lapel microphone from her purse. "Julian is terrified of his own shadow. He spent six years running from the guilt of what he did to my sister Clara."
She opened the SUV door, stepping out into the biting, freezing mountain air.
"Elizabeth, wait!" Marcus called out. "It’s dangerous!"
"I’ve waited six years for this, Marcus," Elizabeth said, looking back at him with fierce determination. "Stay in the car and keep the satellite uplink open to Andrew and the FBI."
Elizabeth moved swiftly through the snow-covered pine trees, bypassing the main iron gates. She knew the layout of the property; Clara had sent her floor plans years ago when she was still married to Julian.
She reached the side conservatory entrance of the grand chalet. The glass door was unlocked. She slipped inside, her boots making no sound against the thick Persian rugs.
The interior of the chalet was opulent, lit by a massive stone fireplace in the central hall.
A man’s voice echoed from the upper balcony.
"I did what you asked, Eleanor!" Julian was shouting into a satellite phone, pacing back and forth along the wooden railing. "I uploaded the virus! I transferred the five hundred million into the Cayman account! The FBI arrested Andrew! Now bring Lily here! You promised I could have my daughter!"
Julian paused, listening to Eleanor's cold voice on the other end of the line.
"What do you mean, wait two weeks?!" Julian screamed, his voice breaking with pathetic desperation. "You promised me! I compromised my own cousin! I ruined Andrew’s life for you!"
"And you ruined my sister’s life six years ago," Elizabeth’s clear, deadly voice rang out from the bottom of the grand staircase.
Julian froze. He slowly turned around, looking down into the warm light of the fireplace.
Elizabeth stood at the bottom of the stairs, her dark coat dusted with snow, her eyes burning into his soul.
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Julian gasped, dropping his phone onto the floor. "Elizabeth...?"
"Hello, Julian," Elizabeth said, stepping up the stairs, one slow, deliberate step at a time. "It’s been a long time."
