Chapter 3: The Hidden Link
Elena sat at the high table, treating the ballroom like a war room. She called her team in. The guests were being scanned, their bags searched. Tension was at a breaking point. Suddenly, a server dropped a tray—a distraction. A man in a tuxedo bolted toward the kitchen, knocking over a waiter.
"Stop him!" Elena commanded. The MPs tackled the man before he reached the service door.
Elena approached the captive. It was Arthur, Richard’s personal accountant. She reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a small, metallic flash drive. The room gasped.
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"You thought you were clever, Richard," Elena said, holding the drive up. "You used your accountant as the courier. You kept your hands clean. But you forgot one thing: I didn't come here to arrest you for the wine. I came here because I knew the hand-off was happening tonight."
Richard lunged, not for the drive, but for a hidden panic button under the table that would alert his security team outside. He pressed it.
