Chapter 5 - The Estate Raid
Right on cue, the heavy iron gates at the edge of the fifty-acre estate swung open with a grinding screech.
Three black SUVs flashed red and blue emergency lights down the winding oak-lined driveway, followed closely by two marked Franklin County Sheriff cruisers. Their tires crunched sharply against the gravel as they pulled up across the lawn, cutting off every escape route.
Armed federal agents in dark tactical vests bearing the letters DCIS and FBI poured out of the vehicles, establishing a perimeter around the glass greenhouse and the main house.
Lead Agent Marcus Vance—a former colleague from my JSOC days—stepped out of the front SUV, holding a sealed manila folder. He glanced at Coleman groaning on the ground, then at Estelle, before raising his eyes to me.
"Major Kahn," Marcus said, giving me a sharp, respectful nod. "The federal freeze warrants have been served in Delaware, Cayman, and Columbus. All accounts tied to Vance Defense Dynamics are officially seized."
Estelle shrieked, clutching her designer handbag against her chest. "This is a private estate! You are trespassing! Do you know who my contacts in Washington are?"
Agent Vance pulled a thick document from his folder and extended it toward her. "Estelle Vance, you are under arrest for federal defense procurement fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. Coleman Vance, you are being taken into custody as a named co-conspirator and for suspected physical assault."
Two female agents stepped forward, grabbing Estelle's wrists and snapping heavy steel handcuffs around her wrists before she could scream again.
Coleman tried to fight back as an agent dragged him to his feet, but his dislocated arm buckled, causing him to howl in pain as he was escorted straight toward the back of a police cruiser.
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"Grace! Help me!" Estelle sobbed, her composure completely shattered as she was marched toward the black SUV. "I'm your father's wife! You can't let them do this to our family!"
"You're not my family, Estelle," I said softly, watching her get loaded into the vehicle. "You were just a squatter in my father's house."
