Chapter 13 - Police Arrive at the Hotel Lobby
At 11:30 AM, two county sheriff deputies walked through the automatic glass doors of the downtown hotel lobby.
Their heavy boots clicked against the tile floor as they scanned the crowd of confused, dressed-up relatives.
The lobby grew instantly silent as the deputies approached the velvet sofa where Ashley sat sobbing into her wedding veil.
“Are you Ashley Miller?” the lead deputy asked, pulling a crisp legal document from his leather breast pocket.
“Yes... why are you asking? Can’t you see I’m having the worst day of my life?” Ashley snapped tearfully.
“Ashley Miller, you are being served with an emergency civil subpoena and criminal complaint for corporate fraud and theft,” the deputy stated formally.
Arthur jumped out of his chair, stepping between his daughter and the police officers with a look of absolute panic.
“This is absurd! She’s a bride on her wedding day! You can’t arrest her!” Arthur shouted, waving his arms.
“Sir, step back or you will be arrested for obstruction of justice; these charges carry up to ten years in prison,” the deputy warned.
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Cold steel handcuffs snapped around Ashley’s wrists with a harsh, echoing click that stunned every relative in the room.
The glittering bridal fantasy vanished completely, replaced by the harsh, unyielding reality of criminal prosecution.
