Victoria: Thomas, I am the mistress of this house! If you lay a hand on me, I will have you fired by morning!
Thomas: My contract is signed with Vance Enterprises, Mrs. Vance. Not with you. Please remain seated in that chair.
Charles: Maya, bring me my briefcase from the library desk.
Maya: Right away, sir!
Maya ran back down the bright hallway, her red-marked cheek still visible under the lights. Victoria slumped into a leather dining chair, her bronze satin gown pooling around her ankles as she glared at the security chief.
Victoria: You're making a massive mistake, Charles. When my lawyers get here, you will look like a fool in front of the entire state court.
Charles: Your lawyers won't be able to save you from a attempted murder charge backed by video evidence, Victoria.
Victoria: That video shows me holding a bottle! It doesn't prove what was inside it!
Charles: The state police crime lab will analyze the contents of that decanter within two hours. We will see what chemical compound is inside.
Maya returned to the dining room holding a heavy black leather briefcase. She set it gently on the wooden table beside Charles.
Maya: Here is your briefcase, Mr. Vance.
Charles: Thank you, Maya. Open the bottom compartment with code 7-4-1-2.
Maya clicked the metallic latches open, revealing three thick manila folders sealed with red tape. Charles picked up the top folder and tossed it onto the table in front of Victoria.
Charles: Do you know what this folder contains, Victoria?
Victoria: I have no idea. You keep dozens of business folders in your study.
Charles: This is a forensic audit report on your personal credit accounts over the last three years.
Victoria's eyes widened slightly, her confident expression slipping for a brief second under the bright daylight.
Charles: You have accumulated over two million dollars in illegal gambling debts at offshore casinos in Macao and Monte Carlo.
Victoria: That... those accounts don't belong to me! Someone used my identity!
Charles: They used your identity, your social security number, and your private security pin to transfer funds from my corporate account?
Victoria: I was trying to invest in international real estate! The brokers lied to me!
Charles: You were gambling away millions because you thought you could pay it all back as soon as I died and you collected my life insurance payout!
Victoria: Charles, please... I was desperate! Men were threatening my life over those debts!
Charles: So your solution was to kill your husband instead of coming to me with the truth?!
Victoria: You would have divorced me! You would have thrown me out on the street with nothing!
Charles: And now you will be going to a federal prison cell instead of the street.
The distant sound of police sirens began to echo down the long gated driveway outside the mansion windows. Red and blue lights flashed across the white walls of the grand foyer.
Thomas: Police officers have cleared the main gate, Mr. Vance. Detective Reed is leading the entry team.
Charles: Show them directly into the dining room, Thomas.