Chapter 19 - The Drive to ChattanoogaDawn broke over Nashville with a brilliant splash of amber and gold, but the warmth of the morning offered no comfort. Armed with the USB drive Sarah provided and the documents Julian had recovered, we knew we couldn't trust local channels.
I kissed Amy gently on the forehead before she woke up, whispering that Julian and I had an urgent family matter to handle. I couldn't tell her the full truth yet; she had suffered enough, and I refused to let her anxiety return while she was finally finding peace.
By 7:00 AM, Julian’s SUV was hurtling down the highway toward Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“Did Sarah give you a name?” Julian asked from the passenger seat, his eyes glued to the tablet as he analyzed the encrypted files.
“She said the person inquiring at her firm used a pseudonym, but she recognized the voice on the phone,” I replied, keeping my eyes fixed on the asphalt ahead. “Assistant District Attorney Marcus Vance—no relation to the corporate Vances, but heavily tied to the local political machine.”
“Marcus Vance,” Julian muttered, tapping furiously on his screen. “He’s the lead prosecutor assigned to your mother’s case. If he’s dirty, the entire plea deal is a sham designed to let her keep her hidden millions.”
“That’s why we’re going straight to the federal bank branch in Chattanooga where the physical safety deposit box is registered,” I said. “Federal jurisdiction bypasses local county corruption entirely.”
The drive was tense, filled with the hum of the engine and the heavy weight of impending conflict. We arrived in Chattanooga by late morning, pulling up in front of a sleek, unassuming stone bank building nestled in the heart of the financial district.
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If we could secure the physical contents of that box, we would shatter my mother’s final defense once and for all.
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