Chapter 4 - The Spider’s Web
In the executive suite of Vance Enterprises on Wilshire Boulevard, Victoria Vance sat behind her obsidian desk. The sun was just beginning to rise over Los Angeles, painting the sky in pale shades of orange and pink.
Standing across from her was Arthur Pendelton, the senior managing partner of Pendelton & Croft—the legal firm that had shielded the Vance family from scandals for forty years.
"They aren't at any of the private hospitals," Pendelton said, setting a leather tablet on her desk. "Julian used cash to pay for gas at three different stations heading toward the valley. He’s cut off his credit cards, turned off his phone's GPS, and abandoned his company car in a parking garage in Burbank."
Victoria took a slow sip of black tea from a fine bone china cup. "He’s acting like an emotional child. He’ll crawl back once he realizes he can't pay for a sandwich without my authorization."
"I wouldn't be so certain, Victoria," Pendelton warned, leaning forward. "My sources at the District Attorney's office mention that a distress call was logged from the penthouse cell tower at 8:14 PM last night. The dispatcher heard a female voice screaming about a broken glass roof before the line was disconnected."
Victoria set her teacup down with a sharp clack. "That line was routed through our private server. Who authorized its release to the DA?"
"No one authorized it," Pendelton said grimly. "It was automatically archived under the city’s high-rise safety compliance law. If Julian takes that girl to a prosecutor..."
"He won't," Victoria interrupted, her eyes narrowing into cold slits. "Julian is weak, but he understands legacy. He knows that if Vance Enterprises collapses, his name becomes worthless."
"And the housekeeper?"
"Martha is an uneducated old woman with no family and no savings," Victoria sneered. "Have our security team file a police report immediately. Report Martha for grand larceny—claim she stole three hundred thousand dollars worth of jewelry from the master bedroom safe before fleeing the penthouse. Put a state warrant out for her arrest."
Pendelton nodded slowly. "And Chloe?"
"Chloe is an intruder who suffered a psychotic break due to pregnancy-induced psychosis," Victoria said, her voice dropping into a smooth, practiced narrative. "She attempted to jump off the observation roof, and poor Martha was injured trying to restrain her. Julian is currently suffering from trauma and being manipulated by them."
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"It’s a bold defense," Pendelton admitted.
"It’s not a defense, Arthur," Victoria said, standing up and leaning heavily on her brass cane as she looked out over the city. "It’s the official story. See to it that the local news stations run the missing jewelry headline by noon. Let’s see how long my son survives when his wife is framed as a lunatic and his housekeeper is a wanted felon."
