Chapter 6 - The Trap is Set
The following afternoon, the storm had passed, leaving the city of Grantham washed in bright, cold autumn sunlight.
At the private veterinary hospital, Clara sat beside Pip’s recovery bed. The surgery had been a complete success. The tiny puppy had a small pink bandage on his hind leg, but he was awake, tail wagging weakly as he licked Clara’s fingers.
"You're going to walk again, Pip," Clara whispered, kissing his forehead. "And we're going home soon."
Her phone chimed. It was a text from an unknown number—Victor Blackwood’s secure line.
The bait is taken. Grant has informed Moretti that you surrendered the deeds out of fear. They have scheduled the transfer for 9:00 PM at the Grand Harbor Hotel Ballroom. Your dress has arrived at your hotel suite.
Clara stood up, her jaw set.
An hour later, she stepped into the penthouse suite Victor had reserved for her at the Grand Harbor Hotel. Laid out on the silk bed was a stunning floor-length emerald green velvet gown, paired with a delicate diamond necklace that had once belonged to Pearl Calloway.
Beside the gown was a small, high-tech earpiece and a sleek black clutch holding a encrypted flash drive containing digital scans of the master ledger.
Clara looked at herself in the full-length mirror. Gone was the exhausted, naïve woman who had walked through the rain forty-eight hours ago. In her place stood the true heir of the Calloway estate—poised, elegant, and utterly dangerous.
At 8:45 PM, a sleek black limousine arrived at the hotel entrance. Two of Victor’s top security operatives opened the door for her.
"Miss Whitmore," the driver said respectfully. "Mr. Blackwood is already inside the venue. The stage is set."
As the limousine glided through the bustling downtown streets toward the waterfront, Clara adjusted her earpiece. Victor’s smooth voice came through instantly.
"Clara, do you read me?"
"I read you, Victor," she replied calmly.
May you like
"Grant and Don Moretti have just entered the VIP lounge," Victor reported. "Grant looks triumphant. He believes he is about to become a partner in Moretti's real estate empire tonight."
"Let him enjoy his final fifteen minutes," Clara said, her voice dripping with ice. "I'm coming up."
