Chapter 15 - Confronting Margaret
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Margaret Lawson sat in the sterile interview room of the federal detention center, wearing a standard orange jumpsuit that severely clashed with her haughty demeanor. Her silver hair, usually perfectly coiffed, was beginning to look ragged.
She sneered when I walked into the room, followed closely by my father.
"Did you come to gloat, Evelyn?" Margaret asked, crossing her arms. "Enjoy your little victory. My lawyers will have me out on bail by tomorrow."
"You aren't getting bail, Margaret," Harrison said, pulling out a chair and sitting across from her.
"We found the Apex ledger," I told her, watching her eyes widen slightly. "Natalie Blake kept a backup copy. We gave it to the FBI."
Margaret recovered quickly, forcing a dismissive laugh. "A fabricated spreadsheet provided by a disgruntled employee. Good luck making that stick in court."
"We don't need just the spreadsheet," I replied, leaning forward. "We have Arthur Finch."
The final trace of arrogance vanished from Margaret's face.
"Finch confessed to cutting my mother's brake lines," I continued, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins. "He confessed to taking your two-hundred-thousand-dollar bribe. He's currently signing a plea deal with the District Attorney in exchange for testifying against you for the murder of Helena Vance."
Margaret stared at me, her mouth opening and closing silently. For a brilliant, manipulative woman, she suddenly had absolutely nothing to say.
"You killed my wife," Harrison said, his voice a lethal whisper. "You stole twenty-five years from my daughter. And then you tried to use your pathetic son to steal from my grandson."
"It was just business," Margaret finally croaked, desperately trying to maintain some semblance of control. "Helena was going to ruin the Lawson legacy."
"There is no Lawson legacy," I told her, standing up. "Garrett is pleading guilty to fraud to save himself. Your company is being liquidated by federal auditors. Your name is a joke."
May you like
I walked toward the door, then paused and looked back at her one last time.
"People like you," I said, repeating the exact words Garrett had used against Ruth, "should know exactly where they belong. Enjoy your cage."
