The sound of the penthouse front door being broken down was not just the sound of wood colliding with metal; for Anna, it was the sound of her illusory world collapsing. Inside the locked study, Anna curled up behind Alaric's large teak desk. Her breath caught, her fingers clenched tightly around the edge of the desk until her knuckles turned white.
Outside, the sound of heavy boots hitting the marble floor sounded like the drums of death.
"Mr. Devano, we have a warrant for a thorough search. Suspicion of concealment of assets and evidence related to the Seraphina embezzlement case," the voice was firm, cold, and familiar. It was Inspector Bram, a man known throughout Avernon City as incorruptible.
Alaric stood in the middle of the living room, blocking the way to the hallway. He calmly sipped the last of the wine in his glass, as if the presence of a dozen armed police officers was nothing more than a minor disturbance to his evening drink.
