Chapter 10 - ELEANOR'S BAIL HEARING
At the Manhattan Criminal Court, Eleanor stood before Judge Harrison wearing a grey jumpsuit provided by the detention facility.
Her white hair was disheveled, and her navy blue velvet gown had been replaced by prison-issued attire.
Her high-priced criminal defense attorney leaned over to whisper reassurance, but Eleanor's eyes were fixed on the gallery.
Clara sat in the front row alongside David Vance, her dark red silk blouse immaculate and her expression entirely unreadable.
"Your Honor, my client is a pillar of society and poses zero flight risk," Eleanor's attorney argued passionately.
"Mrs. Vanderbilt is seventy years old and suffers from high blood pressure," the attorney added, seeking sympathy.
The prosecutor stood up, holding a printed copy of the offshore financial audit provided by Clara's legal team.
"Your Honor, the state presents evidence that the defendant attempted to wire ten million dollars to Switzerland this morning," the prosecutor countered.
Judge Harrison frowned deeply, pounding his wooden gavel against the bench with absolute authority.
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"Bail is set at five million dollars, and the defendant must surrender her passport and wear an ankle monitor," the judge ruled sternly.
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