Chapter 12
"Are you certain you want to subject yourself to his dramatics, Elena?" David asked over the secure line, his tone laced with protective caution. "You have zero legal obligation to grant him an audience."
"I know I don't, David, but I want to be the one who looks him in the eye when he finally realizes there are no loopholes left," Elena replied steadily. "Schedule the supervised deposition for tomorrow morning at the federal holding facility."
"Understood. I will have federal marshals manage the protocol and ensure absolute security throughout the room," David confirmed. "I’ll pick you up at eight sharp."
The following morning dawned gray and biting cold, typical of late winter in Washington. Elena dressed in a tailored charcoal wool coat over a simple black silk dress, her long wavy brown hair tied back into a sleek, professional ponytail.
She kissed Leo goodbye as he ate his breakfast with his nanny, promising him a fun weekend afternoon at the Smithsonian museum. Her maternal world was stable, loving, and completely secure.
When she stepped outside the apartment lobby, David’s federal vehicle was idling curbside. She slid into the warm backseat, exchanging a polite, resolute nod with the prosecutor.
The drive to the federal detention facility was quiet, punctuated only by the low hum of the car heater and the steady rhythm of windshield wipers clearing away light sleet. The stark, imposing concrete walls of the federal holding center soon loomed into view.
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Armed guards patrolled the perimeter, and a large American flag flew stiffly atop the administration building against the pale gray sky. It was a stark reminder of the rule of law operating at its most uncompromising level.
They passed through three heavy security checkpoints before entering a sterile, fluorescent-lit conference room divided by a thick pane of reinforced safety glass. Two federal guards stood at attention in the corners of the room.
