Chapter 6 - The Counter-Strike
The wail of the sirens grew louder. Emily was shaking violently, crying into the babies' thin blankets. “Michael, please,” she begged, her voice breaking my heart into a thousand pieces. “Don't let them take my babies. Please.”
I turned to her, reaching out to gently touch her cheek for the first time in a year. “I failed you once, Emily,” I swore, looking deep into her terrified eyes. “I will never, ever fail you again.”
I turned back to Ashley. I didn't panic, and I didn't beg. I simply reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. “You think you’re the only one who prepares, Ashley?”
The police cruisers came tearing into the lot, lights flashing red and blue against the dying light of the sun. Four officers stepped out, hands resting on their utility belts. Ashley immediately switched her demeanor, putting on her best damsel-in-distress face. “Officers, thank God you’re here,” she cried, pointing at Emily. “That vagrant woman is unstable! We have a court order to remove those children for their safety!”
The lead officer walked forward, looking at the paperwork the lawyer shoved into his hands. But before he could say a word, a sleek, unassuming sedan pulled in. David Reynolds stepped out, but he was not alone. Walking right beside him in handcuffs was Marcus Bennett—Ashley’s brother.
Ashley’s fake smile instantly vanished, and the color drained from her face. “Marcus? What is going on?” she demanded, her voice finally shaking.
David walked straight up to the lead police officer, flashed his private investigator badge, and handed over a thick, bound dossier. “Officer, you can ignore that family court order,” David said calmly. “It was filed using a fraudulent Power of Attorney, obtained under false pretenses.”
“That’s a lie!” Ashley shrieked.
David ignored her. “We just left the District Attorney's office. Marcus here has decided to take a plea deal. He confessed to the wire fraud and paying off witnesses. More importantly, he handed over the burner phone you used to hire the hacker who intercepted Mr. Carter’s medical emergency calls.”
The lawyers standing next to Ashley suddenly took a very deliberate step away from her. “Interfering with a medical emergency that endangers a mother and newborn infants carries a heavy felony charge in this state,” David noted.
The lead officer looked at the DA’s warrant in David’s file, then looked up at my fiancée. “Ashley Bennett?” the officer said, his tone shifting from helpful to authoritative.
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“This is absurd! I am going to sue all of you!” Ashley screamed, her mask completely shattering to reveal the monster underneath.
“You have the right to remain silent,” the officer said, grabbing her arm and spinning her around.
