Chapter 6 - A Ghost from the Past
The discovery of the connection between Dominic and Julian shifted the entire atmosphere in the office. This was no longer just a domestic financial abuse case; it was a targeted strike against the very network that had funded my own torment.
Chloe spent the morning running deep background checks on Julian Croft through her police databases. When she finally looked up from her monitor, her expression was grim.
"Anna, we need to be incredibly careful," Chloe warned, leaning back in her chair. "Julian Croft isn't just a white-collar criminal. He has a history of violent intimidation. Two years ago, a whistleblower at his firm suddenly retracted all his statements and moved to another country after his house mysteriously caught fire. The official report said faulty wiring, but nobody bought it."
I looked out the window at the crashing ocean waves. The sky was turning a bruised purple as a storm rolled in. "He burns things to make people quiet," I murmured, rubbing the scar on my hand. "Sounds like he and Dominic shared more than just a bank account."
Elena emerged from the back rest room, looking pale. She had been staying in the foundation's emergency safe room since she left her house two days ago.
"Is something wrong?" Elena asked, sensing the tension in the room.
"We found something, Elena," Sophia said gently, guiding her to a chair. "Your husband is involved in a much larger fraud syndicate. We believe he was laundering money for my client's ex-husband."
Elena’s eyes widened in horror. "If Julian finds out you are looking into Apex Holdings, he will kill us. He told me once that the money in that account was his 'blood insurance.' He said anyone who touches it disappears."
"He is not going to touch you, Elena," I said fiercely, kneeling beside her chair. "He operates in the shadows because he is a coward. When you drag cowards into the light, they don't fight. They scatter."
The office phone suddenly rang, shattering the quiet room.
Chloe checked the caller ID. "It's an unknown number."
I stood up, walked over to the desk, and hit the speakerphone button. "Haven Ledger, this is Anna."
May you like
A low, smooth, terrifyingly calm voice echoed through the speaker. "Anna. I understand you have something that belongs to me. I suggest you return her, and the hard drives, before the ocean breeze around your little coastal office becomes a firestorm."
Julian Croft had found us.
