Chapter 4 - THE TRAP CLOSES
"He's here," Claire gasped, her body instantly tensing, her hand reaching for Daniel's coat.
"Calm down," Daniel said, his voice steady and unhurried as he closed the safe and adjusted the oil painting back into place. "We knew he would come. The bank freeze would have hit his phone via automated alert the second he tried to pay the band or the caterer at the reception."
The heavy front door of the mansion slammed open.
"Claire!" Victor’s voice boomed through the quiet house, no longer the smooth, cultured baritone of the philanthropist, but a raw, animalistic roar of pure fury. "Claire, get your ass down here!"
Daniel took Claire’s hand, leading her calmly out of the study and into the wide, two-story foyer.
Victor stood at the bottom of the stairs, his tuxedo jacket gone, his white shirt wrinkled and stained with sweat. His face was flushed dark red, his eyes wild and bloodshot as he stared up at them.
"You," Victor hissed, pointing a shaking finger at Daniel. "What did you do? My banks... my personal cards... everything is frozen. My treasury director just called me. The state has issued a stop-work order on the Interstate-5 corridor project. What did you do to my company, you little rat?"
"I didn't do anything to your company, Victor," Daniel said, his voice echoing calmly down the stairs. "You did this to yourself. I just showed the state attorney where to look."
"You think you're clever?" Victor snarled, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a small, sleek black pistol. "You think some legal paperwork is going to save you? I built this city. I own the people who write the laws. You are going to call your little friends at the state office, and you are going to get this hold lifted right now. Or I swear to God, neither of you leaves this house alive."
Claire shrank behind Daniel, her chest heaving with terrified sobs.
But Daniel didn't move. He didn't run. He didn't even look at the gun.
"You should look at your phone, Victor," Daniel said softly.
May you like
"What?" Victor barked, his hand shaking as he gripped the weapon.
"Your phone," Daniel repeated. "Look at it."
