Chapter 6
Richard straightened his blazer, his arrogance flaring up once more like a dying candle. "Private security? You hired cheap muscle to intimidate me, Emma? In Fairfield County? I know every judge in this jurisdiction! One phone call to the chief justice and your private guards will be arrested for armed criminal trespass!"
"They aren't private guards, Richard," Emma replied smoothly, checking her phone. "Well, two of them are. But the woman stepping out of the lead vehicle is Judge Eleanor Sterling. The presiding magistrate of the Stamford Probate Court."
Margaret let out a strangled gasp, her hands flying to her mouth. "Eleanor? Eleanor Sterling is here?!"
"She is also the primary executor of Julian’s estate trust," Emma added, her eyes never leaving Richard’s pale face. "She signed the emergency eviction order and the protective injunction two hours ago, the moment my attorney filed the forensic audit of Julian’s corporate accounts."
The heavy front double doors of the estate groaned on their hinges, followed by the sound of firm, authoritative footsteps echoing across the marble foyer.
A moment later, two men in dark suits stepped into the dining room archway, flanking a distinguished woman in her late fifties wearing a charcoal wool overcoat and carrying a leather document folio. Behind them stood two uniformed county deputies, their hands resting loosely near their duty belts.
"Good evening, Richard," Judge Sterling said, her American accent cultured and completely devoid of warmth. She stepped over the threshold, her gaze taking in the overturned banquet table, the shattered china, and the puddle of red wine with sharp, professional disgust. "I see the reports of your volatile behavior were entirely accurate."
Richard stepped around the debris, attempting to summon his customary political charm. "Eleanor! Thank you for coming. This woman has completely lost her mind! She broke into my home, destroyed my dining room, and assaulted my family—"
"Save it, Richard," Judge Sterling cut him off with a single raised hand. "I have read the preliminary findings of the forensic accountant. And I have reviewed the video feed from the hallway camera that Mrs. Hart accessed fifteen minutes ago."
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Richard froze. "What video feed?"
Emma pointed a calm finger toward the discreet, high-definition security lens mounted in the crown molding above the dining room entrance. "Julian installed an upgraded enterprise security system two months before he passed, Richard. Every angle of this room is recorded in four-K resolution and streamed directly to an encrypted cloud server. The footage of you wrenching Lily’s chair, striking her against the table, and crushing her gift under your shoe was uploaded to the court registry twelve minutes ago."
