Chapter 1 - The Arrest
Maya entered the penthouse as Adrian forced Claire to remain on her knees.
One of his hands held both her forearms behind her. The other pressed a tablet toward her face.
“Unlock it.”
Claire’s black evening gown pooled across the white marble.
“I won’t sign away their homes.”
Maya crossed the room before Adrian could turn.
She stepped between them and struck his controlling arm aside with one sharp intervention. Adrian released Claire immediately.
He recovered his balance and smiled.
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”
Maya said nothing.
She walked to the glass table, opened her cream quilted handbag and removed a black smartphone.
A blue federal credential filled the screen.
“Federal investigator. Step away from her.”
Adrian’s smile vanished.
He reached for the phone.
Maya redirected his arm, turned him toward the table and secured one wrist with a metal cuff.
“Adrian Cole, you’re under arrest.”
The city glowed behind them.
Claire moved safely toward Eleanor Ruiz, the older woman watching near the windows.
Adrian looked over his shoulder.
“For what?”
“Wire fraud, witness coercion and attempted theft from a federally protected housing trust.”
He laughed once.
“This is my home.”
Eleanor looked around the penthouse.
“No.”
Her voice was quiet.
“This apartment belongs to the people whose retirement money paid for it.”
Adrian stopped struggling.
Maya collected the tablet from the floor.
The screen displayed a transfer worth six hundred million dollars.
It would sell five Manhattan apartment buildings occupied by hotel workers, retired staff and low-income families.
Claire’s signature line remained empty.
But her fingerprint had already been added.
Maya examined the authorization time.
The transfer was scheduled to complete in four minutes.
May you like
Then she saw the receiving company.
It was registered under Claire’s name.
