Chapter 27 - The Legal Standoff
Finch immediately stepped between Arthur and the approaching sheriff, raising his hands in a practiced display of professional deference.
"Sheriff Reynolds, good evening," Finch said smoothly. "I am Gregory Finch, licensed attorney of the Mississippi Bar. My client is executing a lawful Chancery Court order issued this evening by Judge Holloway. Mr. Mercer is unlawfully attempting to bar the rightful heir’s representative from the premises."
Sheriff Reynolds didn't look at Finch. He walked past him, tipped his Stetson to Julian, and nodded. "Evening, Julian. Got your call about an intruder."
"The intruder is Evelyn Vance, Sheriff," Julian said clearly. "She gained entry to this estate under false pretenses, claiming to be my deceased wife. She is currently inside my kitchen."
"Now wait just a minute," Finch protested, waving the red-stamped writ. "Judge Holloway signed this—"
"Judge Holloway signed that ex-parte order based on an affidavit submitted by your office at midnight," another voice interrupted.
Stepping out from the passenger side of the second cruiser was Marcus Thorne, Julian’s chief legal counsel, dressed in an unbuttoned suit, holding a glowing tablet and a manila folder.
Finch’s face tightened. "Thorne. You have no standing to vacate an emergency injunction without a hearing."
"I don't need a hearing to vacate an order obtained through active perjury, Gregory," Marcus said with a cold, triumphant smile. He stepped up the porch stairs, handing a document directly to Sheriff Reynolds. "What you have there, Sheriff, is a certified affidavit from the North Carolina Department of Corrections. Evelyn Vance's fingerprints were logged electronically during her parole check-in six months ago. We ran the high-resolution gate scan Julian pulled two hours ago through the state forensics portal in Biloxi."
Marcus turned to look Arthur dead in the eye. "It’s a ninety-nine point eight percent match. The woman inside is Evelyn Vance, a convicted felon currently violating the terms of her interstate parole by crossing state lines without notice."
Arthur’s jaw twitched. He shot a frantic, murderous glance toward Finch. "Finch, what is he talking about? You told me her parole was closed!"
"She... she told me the court had discharged her probation last year," Finch stammered, his polished arrogance instantly melting into panic.
"She lied to you, Arthur," Marcus said smoothly. "Just like she lied to her grandmother, and just like she lied to Julian at the front gate."
Sheriff Reynolds folded the paper, slipped it into his jacket pocket, and looked at his deputies. "Boys, go inside and take Miss Vance into custody for felony parole violation and criminal trespass."
"Wait!" Arthur shouted, lunging forward toward the threshold. "The property rights are still contested! The trust land is still frozen! You can't enter this house!"
Julian stepped forward, his shoulder slamming into Arthur's chest, shoving him back down the three porch steps onto the gravel driveway with explosive force.
Arthur landed on his hands and knees, gravel tearing into his palms.
"This is not your playground, Arthur," Julian said, his voice ringing across the silent lawn like a death knell. "You touched my family. You tried to weaponize my daughter's dead mother against her. I will not stop until you are in an orange jumpsuit eating prison gruel for the rest of your miserable life."
From the front door, the deputies emerged, escorting Evelyn Vance in handcuffs. Her hair was wild, her silk robe dragged through the dirt, and her face was twisted into a snarl of pure hatred.
"You think you won, Julian?" she shrieked as they forced her into the rear of the cruiser. "Arthur paid three different offshore accounts! There are people who already hold liens against the sanctuary’s western boundaries! You’re going to lose it all anyway!"
The cruiser door slammed shut, cutting off her screams.
Sheriff Reynolds turned to Arthur and Finch, his hand resting firmly on the grip of his taser. "Mr. Finch, Mr. Sterling. You have exactly thirty seconds to get into those black trucks and clear out of this county before I book you both for disorderly conduct and conspiracy to commit fraud."
Finch grabbed Arthur by the coat sleeve, dragging him toward the Escalade. "Arthur, we have to go. Now."
Arthur staggered to his feet, dusting off his torn trousers. He looked up at the second-floor balcony of Belle Terre.
Standing there in the moonlight, looking down at him with an expression of cold, unwavering contempt, was Nora.
May you like
Arthur’s eyes burned with a madness that made Nora's stomach knot. He didn't look defeated; he looked like a man who had decided that if he could not have heaven, he would burn the entire earth to ashes.
***
