Chapter 5 - Serena’s Desperate GambitThe next morning, news of Julian’s arrest for felony burglary and commercial fraud swept through local media. Uncle Raymond was released on $100,000 bail, thoroughly ruined in reputation. Julian, however, was held without bail due to federal financial fraud detainers.
At 11:00 AM, my assistant informed me that Serena was waiting in the lobby of Sterling Logistics headquarters in White Plains.
I invited her into the conference room. Gone was the arrogant woman wearing diamonds at the funeral. She was unkempt, her makeup smudged, clutching an envelope with trembling fingers.
“Elena, please,” Serena sobbed, sitting across from me. “Julian is looking at fifteen years. If he goes to federal prison, the bank will seize our home in Scarsdale. The kids will have nowhere to go.”
“Where was your sympathy when you brought a mobile notary to forge Dad’s signature while he was on a ventilator, Serena?” I asked calmly.
Serena flinched. “Julian told me it was Dad’s idea! He said it was just estate planning! I swear I didn't know he was losing millions in offshore sports bets!”
“You knew enough to wear an eight-carat emerald necklace bought with stolen payroll reserves,” I replied. “And you knew enough to try to evict Dad’s retired housekeeper, Martha, last month.”
Serena buried her face in her hands. “What do you want from me? Tell me what to do! Just don't destroy my children’s lives!”
I leaned across the table. “Julian had a secret holding account in Zurich. You were listed as the secondary beneficiary. You have the passcodes.”
Serena froze. “Julian told me never to touch that...”
“You have two choices, Serena: cooperate with the federal prosecutors right now as a witness, or be named as a co-conspirator in grand larceny by 2:00 PM.”
Serena stared at me, trembling. Slowly, she opened her envelope and slid a small leather notebook across the mahogany table.
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“The passwords and Swiss routing numbers are on page four,” she whispered.
I picked up the notebook and handed it to Samuel Price, who had been listening from the adjoining office. “Thank you, Serena. You just saved your children from growing up with two parents in prison.”
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