Chapter 4 - The Offensive
I knew where Julian operated—a private members' club downtown that fronted for the city’s money-laundering operations. I didn't go in with guns; I went in with leverage. I had the files, the forged documents, and a recording of Rachel admitting to the forgery.
I sat in Julian’s office, the air thick with expensive cigar smoke and the scent of fear. He was a man who lived by the ledger, and I handed him a reality he hadn't planned for.
"Your company is currently holding a debt that doesn't legally exist," I said, my voice steady. "The collateral is forged. The signature is a mimicry. If I release this to the state attorney, the scrutiny won't stop at the SUV. It’ll dismantle every penny you’ve funneled through Vantage Point for the last decade."
Julian laughed, a brittle sound, but he didn't reach for his desk drawer. He knew I was a combat veteran; he knew I was the kind of man who had nothing left to lose.
"What do you want, Captain?"
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"I want the debt erased," I said. "And I want Rachel. I want her location, and I want her to sign a confession of fraud. If you can provide that, the files stay with me. If not, the Feds get a package by noon."
He paused, his eyes scanning my face for a bluff. He found none. He reached into his pocket and slid a key card across the desk. "She’s at a safe house in the marina. Dock 42. She’s been trying to leverage her way into a new life for weeks. She’s all yours."
