“What?! No! Get your hands off me!” Celeste shrieked.
The arrogant, untouchable socialite vanished instantly, replaced by a frantic, screaming animal. As the detective reached for her, she kicked wildly, her expensive heels slipping on the marble floor. A uniformed trooper stepped forward, grabbed her firmly by the shoulders, and spun her around, slamming her face-first against the cold marble wall.
The heavy steel cuffs clicked shut around her wrists with a sharp, final snap.
“Daddy! Call the lawyer! Make them stop!” Celeste wailed, sobbing hysterically as the trooper hauled her back to her feet, her Prada dress wrinkled and twisted.
Richard Vanguard frantically reached into his jacket pocket for his cell phone. “I’m calling the bank! I’ll have bail posted before you even process her!” he yelled at the detective.
Arthur stepped directly into Richard’s path, blocking him.
“Don’t bother calling the bank, Richard,” Arthur said, his voice dropping to a terrifying, quiet register. “Sterling & Chase initiated the default protocols on Vanguard Logistics’ commercial loans at 9:00 AM this morning. The morality clause in your corporate covenants was breached the moment the arrest warrants went public. Your company’s assets are frozen pending a federal fraud audit. You are completely, utterly broke.”
