Chapter 4 - Severing the Lifelines
The drive back to Oak Ridge was a study in methodical preparation. I didn't rush. Speed breeds mistakes, and I wanted this operation to be flawless.
On the passenger seat, my satellite phone hummed with real-time updates from Vance.
"Commander, we’ve successfully intercepted the Oak Ridge PD’s internal communications," Vance reported over my earpiece. "Chief Miller just received a panicked call from Richard Sterling. Sterling is demanding to know why his bank accounts are frozen and why there are federal agents asking questions at his corporate offices."
"What was Miller's response?" I asked.
"Miller told him to calm down, said he’d 'handle it.' But Miller is terrified. He knows his name is on those offshore accounts. He’s currently packing a bag in his office. He’s going to run, Boss."
"Not on my watch," I said. "Vance, cut off Miller’s escape route. Inform the state state police that a suspected corrupt official is fleeing the jurisdiction with sensitive materials. Give them his license plate and his exact location."
"Already done," Vance chuckled. "State troopers are already moving to intercept him on Interstate 20. But there’s more. Richard Sterling’s mother, Evelyn, just tried to call her lawyers. We’ve rerouted her calls to a dummy line. Our boy Jax is playing the role of her lead counsel, telling her to stay put and destroy any physical files in the house."
"They’re going to incriminate themselves," I said.
"They already are. Jax is recording everything. Evelyn is currently burning tax documents in her fireplace. It’s beautiful."
I pulled my truck into a dark, wooded overlook that gave me a clear view of the Sterling estate. The sun was beginning to set, casting long, bloody shadows across the manicured lawns. The white party tents were empty now, flapping idly in the evening breeze. The guests had fled, sensing the shift in the air like animals before an earthquake.
I took out my binoculars. Through the massive glass windows of the living room, I could see Richard pacing. He was no longer the arrogant, pristine prince of the town. His hair was disheveled, his silk shirt wrinkled, and his hands shook as he held a phone to his ear.
Beside him, Evelyn was frantically throwing papers into a roaring fire.
They looked like rats in a trap, realizing the water was rising but not understanding where the leak was.
"Vance," I said softly. "Cut the power to the estate."
"Cutting power... now," Vance replied.
Across the valley, the lights of the Sterling mansion flickered once, twice, and then went completely dark. The classical music that had been playing through the outdoor speakers died with a pathetic whine.
"Now, cut the backup generators."
"Generators offline," Vance confirmed.
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I watched through the binoculars as the house plunged into pitch blackness. In the dimming twilight, I could see the sudden panic in Richard’s posture. He ran to the window, staring out into the dark lawn, looking for an enemy he couldn't see.
"It’s time," I said, putting the binoculars away and checking the slide on my weapon. "I’m going in."
