Chapter 9

The wail of sirens cut through the night air. Two NYPD cruisers, their red and blue lights flashing violently, tore through the ruined gates and skidded to a halt on the grass.

Officer Hayes kicked his door open. He drew his weapon, keeping it pointed at the ground, and moved quickly into the crowd followed by three other officers.

Alden rushed forward, pointing a shaking finger at Evelina. "Arrest her! She is a terrorist! She attacked my wife and daughter!"

Annabella crawled out of the coffin, her dress ruined. She sobbed loudly, playing the perfect victim. "She tried to kill us! Look at what she did!"

Officer Hayes took in the bizarre scene-the coffins, the terrified guests, and the stunning woman sipping champagne. He holstered his gun but kept his hand on the grip. He walked toward Evelina.

"Put the glass down. Turn around and put your hands behind your back," Hayes ordered, his voice hard.

Evelina smiled faintly. She set the crystal flute on the table. She turned her back to him and crossed her wrists.

The cold steel of the handcuffs clicked tightly around her skin. The metal bit into her bones.

Aspen, leaning heavily on a bodyguard, spat on the grass near Evelina's feet. "I hope you die in a cage, you bitch!"

Evelina let the officers push her toward the cruiser. Before she ducked into the backseat, she looked back at the Barretts and gave them a slow, chilling smile.

The cruiser sped away, leaving the Barretts to clean up their destroyed reputation.

Inside the 19th Precinct, the air smelled of stale coffee and sweat. Evelina was shoved into a small, freezing interrogation room. She sat on a hard metal chair.

Officer Hayes sat across from her, dropping a thick file on the table. "You are looking at felony trespassing, aggravated assault, and terroristic threats. You are done."

Evelina leaned back, the handcuffs clinking against the chair. "I want my phone call."

Hayes sneered. He slid a desk phone toward her. "Call whoever you want. No one is getting you out of this."

Evelina dialed a private, unlisted number. It rang once.

"I am detained at the NYPD 19th Precinct," Evelina said calmly. "You have ten minutes."

She hung up and closed her eyes, ignoring Hayes's demands for a statement.

Exactly eight minutes later, chaos erupted outside the interrogation room. Heavy footsteps pounded down the hall. A loud, panicked voice-the Precinct Captain's-echoed through the door.

The door flew open. The Captain rushed in, sweating profusely.

"Hayes! Take those cuffs off her right now!" the Captain yelled.

Behind the Captain stood Doyle Fields. Flanking Doyle were three men in immaculate, thousand-dollar suits carrying leather briefcases. The top defense attorneys in New York.

Doyle stepped forward. He slammed a heavy document stamped with the Montgomery Corporation legal seal onto the metal table.

The lead attorney looked at Hayes with eyes like a shark. "Our client was exercising her right to lawful self-defense," the lead attorney stated, his voice slicing through the room. "The Barrett family has a documented history of severe abuse and unlawful confinement against my client. We are filing for immediate release on bail, and we reserve the right to pursue legal action regarding any procedural violations during this arrest."

Hayes froze. Before he could argue about probable cause, the Captain's personal cell phone began to ring incessantly. The Captain answered it, his face draining of color as he listened to the voice of the Police Commissioner.

The Captain shoved Hayes aside and fumbled with his keys, unlocking Evelina's handcuffs. "I am so sorry, ma'am. A terrible misunderstanding. We are processing the release immediately."

Evelina rubbed her red wrists. She stood up, ignoring the apologizing police. She walked out the door.

Doyle held the precinct door open for her. The lawyers flanked her like a secret service detail.

Outside, a massive, bulletproof Rolls-Royce Phantom idled at the curb.

Inside the precinct lobby, Alden and Annabella had just finished giving their furious statements to the desk sergeant. The sergeant hung up his phone, his expression turning pale. "Sir, the suspect has just been released. Her legal team is escorting her out."

"Released? !" Alden bellowed. He and Annabella stormed out through the double doors, stopping dead on the concrete steps.

They watched in absolute, paralyzing horror as Evelina, surrounded by the most powerful lawyers in the city, stepped into the back of the Rolls-Royce. The car door shut with a heavy, expensive thud.

Alden's knees buckled. Annabella covered her mouth to muffle a scream of pure despair.