** The daughter-in-law hit her mother-in-law for daring to drink a glass of milk from the refrigerator, but she had no idea her husband saw it all **

The sharp, rhythmic blue-and-red lights of two Buncombe County Sheriff cruisers suddenly flashed through the morning mist, rounding the bend of Cedar Ridge Road.

The police cars pulled up right behind Daniel's truck, their tires crunching heavily on the gravel.

Sheriff Thomas Vance stepped out of the lead cruiser, his brown uniform crisp, his hand resting casually on his gun belt. Two deputies followed close behind him.

Vanessa’s knees nearly gave out right there on the grass. "Tom?" she gasped, recognizing the sheriff. "What... what are you doing here?"

"Morning, Vanessa," Sheriff Vance said coolly, stepping past her to shake Daniel's hand, then tipping his hat respectfully to Margaret. "Miss Margaret. You looking well today, despite that bruise on your face."

"I'm feeling very strong, Thomas," Margaret smiled.

Richard Miller stepped forward, holding out his hands in protest. "Sheriff, thank you for coming! These people are interfering with a commercial construction site! I demand you remove them immediately!"

Sheriff Vance didn't look at Miller's hands. He pulled a thick manila folder from his cruiser seat.

"Richard Miller," Vance said in a booming, authoritative voice. "I have a warrant issued an hour ago by Judge Harris of the 28th Judicial District. It orders an immediate injunction and freeze on all activities related to Parcel 402-B."

Miller’s eyes widened in disbelief. "On what grounds?!"

"On the grounds of felony fraud, uttering a forged instrument, and conspiracy to commit grand larceny," Vance stated plainly.

He turned his gaze slowly toward Vanessa.

Vanessa took a trembling step backward, looking frantically toward her car. "I... I didn't forge anything! He made me do it! Miller planned the whole thing! He promised me a hundred thousand dollars in cash if I got him the deed!"

"You lying bitch!" Miller roared, turning on her. "You came to my office begging for a loan! You offered the land as collateral!"

"Save it for the courtroom, both of you," Sheriff Vance commanded.

He signaled to his two deputies. "Take them into custody."

The deputies moved in swiftly. One deputy grabbed Miller's arms, pulling them behind his back and snapping steel handcuffs over his wrists. Miller cursed violently, dragging his expensive shoes through the mud as he was forced toward the rear seat of the first cruiser.

The second deputy approached Vanessa.

Vanessa dropped to her knees in the damp grass, sobbing uncontrollably, her designer coat trailing in the mud. "Daniel! Please! Tell him to stop! I'm sorry! I'll go to rehab! I'll never touch a card again! Please don't let them take me to jail!"

Daniel stood beside his mother, watching his wife with cold, unyielding eyes.

"You slapped a sick, seventy-two-year-old widow across the face for drinking a glass of milk, Vanessa," Daniel said, his voice carrying across the quiet meadow. "You tried to steal her home to pay for your greed. You aren't sorry you did it. You're just sorry you got caught."

The deputy pulled Vanessa up by her arms, snapping the cuffs behind her back. She shrieked and kicked, her mascara running down her face in dark rivers as she was led toward the second police car.