Julian: Federal task force?! You called the feds on your own family business?!
Clara: You stopped being my family the second you tied me to a chair inside a cabinet, Julian.
Elena: Julian, don't open those doors! If they see her bleeding on the floor, we are finished!
Julian: Grab the roll of duct tape from the storage bin! Put her back in the wardrobe right now!
Elena rushed forward, her white lace train dragging through the puddle of blood beside Clara's knees.
She bent down to grab Clara’s bound arms, but Clara kicked out with her heel, catching Elena straight in the shin.
Elena: Ow! You vicious little snake!
Clara: Keep your hands off me, you thief!
The heavy front glass doors gave way with a deafening crash as the lock shattered under a steel ram.
Four armed state troopers in dark grey tactical gear marched into the bridal shop, weapons raised.
Leading them was Detective Vance, his leather trench coat open and his gold badge catching the showroom chandeliers.
Detective Vance: State Police! Hands where we can see them! Nobody move an inch!
Julian froze, his hands slowly rising into the air as the officers spread out across the hardwood floor.
Julian: Detective Vance! Thank God you're here! We had an intruder break into our private fitting room!
Detective Vance: Step away from the woman on the floor, Mr. Sterling. Right now.
Julian: She attacked my bride, Detective! She came in through the back delivery door with a weapon!
Elena: Yes! Look at my dress! She tore my lace and threatened to ruin my wedding day!
Detective Vance stepped right past Elena without even glancing at her ruined gown.
He knelt down on one knee beside Clara, pulling a tactical knife from his vest and slicing through the thick shipping ropes.
Detective Vance: CEO Clara, are you able to breathe? Do you need immediate medical attention?
Clara: My ribs are bruised, Detective, but I can stand.
Julian's jaw dropped open as he watched the detective gently help Clara to her feet.
Julian: CEO Clara?! What are you calling her?! I am the chief executive officer of Sterling Global!
Detective Vance: You were the CEO until eight o'clock this morning, Mr. Sterling.
Julian: What are you talking about?! The board meeting isn't scheduled until tomorrow afternoon!
Detective Vance: The board convened an emergency session at seven-thirty after receiving Clara's biometric verification from Boston.
Elena backed up against the wall, her hands clawing at her white veil as panic took hold of her chest.
Elena: Biometric verification?! Clara was declared legally deceased after the helicopter crash in the Alps!
Detective Vance: The death certificate was obtained through a fifty-thousand-dollar bribe paid to a Swiss coroner, Mrs. Sterling.
Clara: A bribe paid from your private bank account in the Cayman Islands, Elena.
Elena gasped, her knees trembling beneath her heavy satin skirt as she stared at the detective.
Elena: That account was encrypted! You couldn't have accessed those routing numbers!
Detective Vance: We didn't need to decrypt anything, ma'am. Your private banker turned state's evidence forty-eight hours ago.
Julian spun toward Elena, his face twisted in pure, unadulterated fury.
Julian: You told me the offshore accounts were completely clean, Elena! You swore our tracks were covered!
Elena: Julian, he was supposed to keep the records sealed until our marriage was legalized!
Julian: You stupid, greedy fool! You dragged my corporate empire into a federal fraud indictment!
Clara: Don't blame her, Julian. You signed the wire transfers that moved the money into your personal yacht fund.
Julian thrashed his head, his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides as he glared at the officers.
Julian: I have five corporate defense attorneys on speed dial! This entire boutique search is an illegal entry without a valid warrant!
Detective Vance reached into his trench coat pocket and pulled out a crisp white document stamped with a raised gold seal.
Detective Vance: Here is the federal warrant signed by Judge Miller at dawn, Mr. Sterling. Charge one: aggravated kidnapping.