Chapter 12 - The Interrogation Room: Marcus Thorne’s Revenge
Deep within the damp, underground holding cells of the federal courthouse downtown, Marcus Thorne sat handcuffed to a stainless-steel table under a flickering fluorescent light.
The disgraced loan shark and syndicate boss looked battered and exhausted, his sharp criminal edge completely eroded by twenty-four hours of nonstop federal questioning.
The heavy metal door of the interrogation room swung open with a sharp squeak, and Commander Vance stepped inside, sliding a thick manila folder across the table.
Vance pulled out a chair opposite Marcus, sitting down slowly and folding his hands together with calm, intimidating military precision.
“Let’s go over the offshore bank routing numbers for V.H. Holdings one more time, Marcus,” Vance commanded smoothly, his gravelly voice echoing off the concrete walls.
“I told you everything I know! I was just a regional muscle for the syndicate! Arthur Sterling was the one pulling all the strings behind the scenes!” Marcus yelled frantically, thrashing against his handcuffs.
“Arthur Sterling is currently being indicted on twelve counts of federal racketeering and corporate conspiracy,” Vance replied coldly, opening the folder to reveal high-resolution surveillance photos.
“Then why am I still sitting in this hellhole?!” Marcus demanded, slamming his bound wrists against the metal table in sheer frustration.
“Because you haven't told us where Julian Bellandi fits into Sterling’s grand scheme,” Vance stated, sliding a photograph of Julian wandering the streets across the table.
Marcus stared down at the photo of the ruined shipping tycoon, a bitter, twisted smirk slowly spreading across his bruised and swollen face.
“Julian didn't even know he was a pawn,” Marcus laughed darkly. “Arthur used Julian’s corporate accounts to launder millions through the shipping lines while Julian was busy playing house with his mistress.”
“And the attempt on Kate Bellandi’s unborn child? Was that Julian’s idea too?” Vance asked, his eyes narrowing into cold, lethal slits that made Marcus instantly stop laughing.
“No… that was all Arthur. Sterling wanted complete control of the Bellandi estate, and eliminating Kate was the final piece of the puzzle,” Marcus confessed quietly, losing his bravado.
Vance closed the manila folder with a sharp snap, standing up slowly from his chair and adjusting the cuffs of his tactical suit jacket.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Marcus. The prosecutor will take your candor into consideration when recommending a thirty-year sentence instead of life,” Vance said flatly.
As Vance turned to leave the interrogation room, Marcus called out desperately from the shadows of the cell: “What’s going to happen to Julian now that he’s lost everything?”
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Vance paused at the doorway, looking back over his shoulder with a cold, unyielding smile.
“Julian’s already experiencing his punishment, Marcus. He’s wandering the streets of a city where his name is no longer worth the paper it’s printed on.”
