Chapter 29 - The Confrontation on Elm Street
Dawn broke over Elm Street in hues of pale slate and cold gold. The flashing police lights had drawn dozens of curious neighbors onto their front porches in bathrobes, murmuring among themselves. But Daniel didn’t wait for Ramirez to coordinate the federal escort.
He walked out of his front door, his collarbone bandaged, the steel lockbox tucked securely under his arm. With steady, deliberate strides, he crossed the asphalt road and walked up the pristine cobblestone driveway of 414 Elm Street.
Arthur Vance was standing on his porch, dressed in an immaculate cashmere cardigan, holding a silver cane. Despite the police cars across the street, Vance’s face remained an unreadable mask of aristocratic arrogance.
"A rather dramatic morning, Daniel," Vance said smoothly, resting both hands on his cane. The gold eagle signet ring gleamed brightly in the early morning sunlight. "I trust Mitchell was clumsy?"
Daniel stopped at the bottom of the porch steps, staring up at the man who had stolen the mother of his children.
"Rachel beat you, Vance," Daniel said quietly.
Vance scoffed, a thin, cruel smile touching his lips. "Rachel is six feet under frozen earth, boy. Do you honestly think a notebook and a few cassette tapes will undo fifty years of power? I built this town. The district attorney attends my Sunday brunches. The federal marshals play golf on my private course. You have nothing."
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"Rachel knew that," Daniel replied. "That’s why she didn't just hide one box. She sent a carbon copy of the entire ledger to the Department of Justice three days before you killed her. She scheduled it to be released on Lily’s eighth birthday if her safety deposit box wasn’t renewed."
The cruel smile slowly vanished from Vance’s face. For the first time, a flicker of raw panic darted across the old man’s eyes.
