Chapter 5 - The Diver's Chain
The collision sent both of us crashing violently across the slick flagstones.
Julian’s pistol slipped from his gloved grip, clattering across the patio and falling into the deep end of the pool with a soft splash.
Julian let out an enraged snarl, throwing a heavy right fist that caught the side of my jaw. He was a large man, fueled by the blind panic of a cornered beast. He scrambled over me, pinning my chest to the wet stones, his gloved hands wrapping around my throat, squeezing with crushing force.
“You should have stayed away, David!” Julian hissed through gritted teeth. “Nobody was supposed to look in that pool!”
Dark spots danced across my vision. My lungs burned for oxygen. With my right hand, I clawed at the edge of the patio garden, my fingers closing around a heavy cast-iron decorative planter.
With every remaining ounce of strength, I swung the iron planter upward, striking Julian across the cheekbone.
Julian let out a choked gasp, his grip breaking as he rolled backward onto the wet grass. Before he could regain his footing, the deafening wail of emergency sirens shattered the neighborhood.
Three patrol cruisers from the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department screeched into the driveway, followed by an unmarked black tactical SUV. Armed deputies bounded over the fence, their sidearms drawn and tactical flashlights blinding the yard.
“Police! Don't move! Face on the ground!” Senior Deputy Miller shouted, tackling Julian flat onto the flagstones.
The sharp, metallic click of steel handcuffs echoed across the patio.
Within twenty minutes, the property was cordoned off with yellow crime-scene tape. A specialized dive-and-recovery team from the State Police arrived with submersible equipment.
Two divers in black neoprene suits entered the dark, green water.
Using heavy nylon lifting straps and an electric winch, they brought the remaining submerged bags to the surface.
The largest sack was unzipped on the lawn under high-intensity halogen work lights. Inside lay the preserved remains of Arthur Pendelton—Julian’s former accounting partner who had been reported missing by his family seventy-two hours earlier.
Beside the body, the divers pulled up two heavy steel lockboxes containing encrypted hard drives, forged identity documents, and over three hundred thousand dollars in illicit cashier's checks.
May you like
Detective Miller walked over to where I sat wrapped in a paramedic blanket beside Elena. He looked at the recovered evidence with grim, profound solemnity.
“Mr. Hall,” Detective Miller said, “your actions today just broke open a multi-state homicide and fraud syndicate.”
