Chapter 6 - The Siege of Pendelton Law
At 9:00 AM, the towering glass skyscraper of Pendelton & Associates in downtown Seattle was buzzing with activity.
Arthur Pendelton, a sleek, silver-haired man in a ten-thousand-dollar suit, sat at his mahogany desk sipping espresso. On the news ticker across his wall-mounted television, headlines read: LOCAL SURGEON RESCUES FROSTBITTEN INFANTS FROM STORM.
Pendelton’s phone rang on a secure line. He picked it up.
“Is it done?” Pendelton asked coldly.
“Mr. Pendelton,” a panicked voice whispered on the line—Pendelton’s contact inside the county jail. “Marcus was arrested last night at the cabin! The kids are alive! Dr. Nathan Pierce has them at St. Jude’s!”
Pendelton dropped his espresso cup, dark liquid splashing across his pristine desk. “What?! Where is Sarah?!”
“In the ICU! She survived the head injury!”
Pendelton stood up, his face turning pale. If Sarah regained consciousness, or if Pierce uncovered the trust fund trail, Pendelton’s entire empire—and his freedom—would collapse.
“Listen to me,” Pendelton hissed into the phone. “Draft an emergency ex parte petition for custody immediately. Marcus is still the legal father of those children. As Marcus’s attorney, I am filing for immediate emergency custody of the kids and temporary conservatorship of Sarah’s estate before she wakes up!”
“On what grounds?!”
“On the grounds that Dr. Nathan Pierce kidnapped those children from Marcus’s property during a domestic dispute!” Pendelton roared. “Get Judge Thornton on the line! He owes me three favors! I want those kids in state custody under my guardianship by noon!”
Pendelton hung up the phone, breathing heavily. He grabbed his coat, stepped out of his corner office, and walked toward the private elevator.
When the elevator doors slid open on the ground floor, Pendelton froze.
The grand marble lobby was packed with news cameras, flashing lights, and three dozen federal agents wearing yellow FBI jackets.
Standing in the center of the lobby, flanked by six armed federal marshals and Special Agent Evelyn Reed, was Dr. Nathan Pierce.
Nathan was dressed in a sharp dark suit, looking like an avenging angel. In his hand, he held a thick manila folder.
“Arthur Pendelton,” Agent Reed declared, her voice echoing off the marble walls. “You are under arrest for federal bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit murder, and racketeering.”
Pendelton backed away, his hands flying up. “This is an outrage! I am a senior partner at this firm! You have no warrant!”
Nathan stepped forward, pulling the micro-SD card from his pocket and holding it up for the news cameras to see.
“Sarah remembered everything, Arthur,” Nathan said, his voice ringing with absolute clarity. “She kept every bank transfer, every forged signature, and every recorded threat you made to her over the last seven years. It’s all on here.”
Pendelton looked at the cameras, then at the federal agents closing in around him. His arrogant facade shattered instantly.
“Pierce… wait,” Pendelton stammered, sweat breaking out across his forehead. “We can talk about this! I can return the trust fund! Every cent!”
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“The money doesn't matter, Arthur,” Nathan said, looking down at the corrupt lawyer with total disgust. “You destroyed seven years of my sister’s life. You almost killed my niece and nephews. You’re going to spend the rest of your life in a federal penitentiary.”
Agent Reed slapped heavy steel handcuffs onto Pendelton’s wrists, forcing him down toward the waiting police cruisers outside as news cameras recorded every second of his humiliation.
