Chapter 4 - The Sterling Ledger
Julian looked at me, confused. "Maddy, what secret? My grandfather’s estate was completely settled during the divorce. Victoria got her settlement, and we cut all ties."
"That’s what she thinks," I said, leaning over to grab my purse from the bedside table. I pulled out a small, encrypted flash drive that I had kept hidden in the lining of my makeup bag for months. "Before your grandfather passed away, when I was volunteering as his private archivist at the family library, he gave me this. He told me that if Victoria or her father ever tried to destroy you or the family business, I should open it."
Julian took the drive, his brow furrowed. "What's on it?"
"Charles Sterling Senior didn't build his fortune on real estate, Julian," I explained, the room falling into a deep, intense silence. "Thirty years ago, he embezzled over forty million dollars from your grandfather’s offshore trust funds to launch his first development firm in New York. Your grandfather kept the forensic accounting ledgers hidden because he didn't want a public scandal that would hurt the Sterling stock. But he kept the proof as a dead-man's switch."
Detective Ruiz leaned forward, his interest sharply piqued. "Mrs. Sterling, if that drive contains authentic bank routing numbers and wire transfer receipts showing systemic corporate embezzlement, that’s no longer a local assault case. That’s a federal grand jury indictment for grand larceny and wire fraud."
"It does," I said, looking directly at my husband. "Julian, Victoria’s father isn't coming to save his daughter because he loves her. He's coming because he knows that if Victoria goes to trial, her personal finances will be audited, and the trail will lead directly back to the money he stole from your family."
Julian stared at the flash drive in his hand, a cold, dangerous smile slowly spreading across his face. The corporate shark inside him, the side he usually kept hidden from me, had just been awakened.
"Ruiz," Julian said, his voice dropping to a chillingly calm tone. "How long until the emergency bail hearing?"
"Two hours," the detective replied, checking his watch. "It's scheduled for 9:00 PM at the municipal courthouse."
"Good," Julian said, standing up and buttoning his suit jacket. "Maddy, I want you to stay here with the guards. Dr. Chen said you need to be monitored until morning. I am going to that courthouse. And I am going to hand Charles Sterling his own execution warrant."
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I grabbed his hand before he could walk away. "Be careful, Julian. A cornered animal is the most dangerous."
"I'm not the one who's cornered anymore, sweet girl," he whispered, kissing my forehead gently. "They touched my wife. They threatened my daughter. They have no idea what I am about to do to them."
