The city detention facility smelled of old iron, cold concrete, and cheap disinfectant. Evelyn sat on a narrow metal bench inside a small holding cell, her red silk dress ruined, her manicured hair hanging in disheveled strands around her face. Across the steel table sat her lead defense attorney, Richard Vance.
Evelyn: Richard! You have to get me out on bail tonight! Look at this place! It's filthy!
Richard Vance: Sit down, Evelyn. I just came from the magistrate judge's office.
Evelyn: Did he sign the release order? How much is the bond?
Richard Vance: There is no bond, Evelyn. The judge rejected our bail application twenty minutes ago.
Evelyn: Rejected? On what grounds?! It was a misdemeanor assault charge!
Richard Vance: It's not a misdemeanor, Evelyn. The prosecutor upgraded the charges to felony child endangerment, grand larceny, corporate wire fraud, and falsification of legal records.
Evelyn: But my father... my father can post the corporate collateral!
Richard Vance: Your father issued a formal press release an hour ago. He has officially resigned as senior partner and severed all financial ties with you.
Evelyn grabbed the edge of the steel table, her knuckles turning white as tears finally spilled down her cheeks.
Evelyn: My own father abandoned me?
Richard Vance: You stole two million dollars from his private trust fund to buy that Panama shell company, Evelyn. What did you expect him to do?
Evelyn: I was going to pay it back! As soon as Marcus signed the marriage certificate, the Sterling trust fund would have covered everything!
Richard Vance: Marcus Sterling never intended to sign that certificate without a forensic audit. He was playing you from the start.
Evelyn: What do you mean he was playing me?
Richard Vance: Marcus knew your pregnancy was fake three weeks ago. His security team tracked your purchases from the theatrical prop company in New York.
Evelyn: He... he knew all along?
Richard Vance: He allowed you to attend the gala tonight so you would execute the fraud in front of federal witnesses and security cameras. The trap was set the moment you stepped into the grand hall.
Evelyn collapsed backward against the cold concrete wall of the cell, letting out a hollow, desperate sob as the full scope of her failure washed over her.
Evelyn: He set me up... He used his own son to pop the cushion...
Richard Vance: Leo acted on his own, Evelyn. But the camera in the ceiling captured your slap in crystal-clear four-K resolution. That video alone guarantees a conviction.
Evelyn: What are my options, Richard? Tell me what to do!
Richard Vance: Your only option is to sign a full guilty plea to the fraud and assault charges. If you cooperate with the federal prosecutor, we might get the sentence reduced to eight years in state penitentiary.
Evelyn: Eight years?! In a prison?!
Richard Vance: It's better than fifteen years, which is what you'll get if we go to a jury trial with that video footage.
Evelyn buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking violently as the heavy iron door of the visitation room clicked open.