Chapter 6 - The Fall of the House of Vale
By 8:30 a.m., the sound of approaching sirens could be heard echoing through the forested hills of Greenwich.
They were not the local town police cruisers Arthur Vale was waiting for.
Through the tall iron gates of the estate rolled six black-and-white cruisers bearing the insignia of the Connecticut State Police, followed immediately by four dark blue Chevrolet Suburbans with federal government plates.
Special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, flanked by state troopers with search warrants in hand, poured out of the vehicles and formed a perimeter around the grand portico.
Inside the ballroom, Luca stood near the fireplace, slowly lighting his Tuscan cigar with a gold lighter. He had not moved an inch. Matteo stood by the double doors, his arms crossed over his chest, watching with calm detachment as the federal agents entered the foyer.
The lead investigator, a sharp-featured woman in a navy trench coat named Special Agent Kathryn Hayes, stepped into the ballroom, her badge displayed prominently on her belt.
She took one look at the scene: the rope dangling from the ceiling, the dried blood on the marble, the broken glass, Adrian bleeding on the floor, and the terrified family surrounded by Moretti’s security team.
Her eyes flicked to Luca. "Mr. Moretti."
"Agent Hayes," Luca said, nodding politely with the tip of his cigar. "Thank you for responding so promptly to our electronic briefing."
"The U.S. Attorney reviewed the raw digital files your firm submitted at 5:00 a.m.," Hayes said, pulling a sheaf of federal arrest warrants from her leather portfolio. "A federal grand jury in New Haven was convened in an emergency session forty minutes ago. The warrants have been signed."
She stepped toward Adrian, who was still kneeling on the marble, trembling like a wet dog.
"Adrian Vale," Agent Hayes announced, her voice echoing off the vaulted ceiling. "You are under arrest for federal civil rights violations, interstate domestic violence, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Stand up."
"Wait! Please!" Adrian screamed, scrambling backward on his hands and knees toward his father’s legs. "They broke into my house! They beat my security! That man—" he pointed a wild, shaking finger at Leo, "he broke my face! Arrest them! Arrest the Morettis!"
Agent Hayes looked at him with an expression of deep, clinical disgust.
"Mr. Vale, your private security team was operating without valid municipal licensing, and your perimeter was breached under the authority of an active corporate receiver," Hayes said coldly. "Furthermore, the state police have reviewed the 4K recording of what you did in this room last night. You are lucky you are leaving this estate in handcuffs instead of an ambulance."
Two state troopers moved in, hauled Adrian to his feet, forced his arms behind his back, and ratcheted heavy steel handcuffs around his wrists until the metal clicked against bone.
Adrian screamed in pain as his bruised wrists were twisted behind him.
"Marcus Vale," Hayes continued, gesturing to the younger brother. "You are under arrest as an accessory after the fact and for tampering with digital evidence."
"I was just filming!" Marcus cried, tears pouring down his cheeks as a trooper cuffed him to his chair. "It was a joke! It was just a party joke!"
"Tell that to the magistrate," Hayes said.
She turned to Arthur and Eleanor. "Mr. and Mrs. Vale, federal marshals are currently executing a seizure order on all assets tied to Vale Enterprises and the Vale Family Trust. You have two hours to pack personal clothing under the supervision of federal agents. After that, this property will be padlocked under federal receivership."
Eleanor slumped forward, weeping hysterically, her expensive pearls breaking and scattering across the marble floor like hail. Arthur sat frozen, his mouth open, staring blankly at the floorboards as if his entire seventy-two years on earth had just vanished into thin air.
Then Agent Hayes walked over to Vanessa Crowe.
Vanessa was cowering against the base of a marble pillar, her face covered in snot and smeared mascara, her stained white dress looking like a butcher’s apron in the morning light.
"Vanessa Crowe?" Hayes asked.
"I didn't do anything!" Vanessa sobbed, clutching the agent’s trousers. "It was Adrian! He planned it! I just wanted my dress replaced! I didn't touch her! I didn't touch Anna!"
"Miss Crowe," Hayes said, pulling a separate document from her folder. "A forensic audit of your personal checking accounts conducted two hours ago revealed that over the last eighteen months, you received seven hundred and forty thousand dollars in direct wire transfers from Vale Enterprises' charity accounts. You are being charged with receipt of stolen federal funds and money laundering."
Vanessa let out a shriek that sounded like a dying animal as a female trooper pulled her hands behind her back and cuffed her.
"Anna!" Vanessa screamed, twisting her neck toward me as she was dragged toward the double doors. "Anna, please! Tell them! We were friends! I didn't mean it! Please don't let them take me!"
I sat in my mahogany armchair, completely motionless.
I looked at her with the same quiet, predatory smile I had given her on the floor of that ballroom eight hours ago.
May you like
"Remember your place, Vanessa," I said softly.
The troopers hauled her out into the hallway, her frantic screams fading down the corridor until the heavy front doors slammed shut.
