The heavy front doors swung open once more, and Arthur Vance, a distinguished attorney in a pinstripe suit, entered alongside two uniformed Dallas County sheriff deputies.
Arthur: David! We came as fast as we could from the courthouse downtown!
David: Thank you for coming so quickly, Arthur. Officers, please secure Alexis Sterling near the hallway.
Officer Miller: Ma'am, step away from the library doors and keep your hands where we can see them.
Alexis: This is police harassment! My father donated three million dollars to the Dallas police pension fund!
Officer Miller: That doesn't give you immunity from elder abuse allegations, ma'am. Please step back.
Clara stood tall beside the library entrance, her breath steady as the deputies escorted Alexis back into the center of the white living room.
Arthur: David, what exactly transpired here before my arrival?
David: Alexis attempted to physically force my mother's thumbprint onto a forged deed transfer and power of attorney document.
Arthur: Is this true, Mrs. Evelyn?
Evelyn: It is entirely true, Arthur. She threatened to ship me off to a state care facility if I didn't surrender my voting shares in Sterling Enterprises.
Arthur: Good grief... that constitutes felony extortion, attempted grand larceny, and domestic elder abuse under Texas state code.
Alexis: You have no physical proof! It's her word against mine!
Clara: That's not true, Mr. Vance. There is high-definition security camera footage recorded right above the framed American flag on that wall.
Alexis turned her head sharply toward the high wall, her eyes widening in absolute horror.
Alexis: That camera was turned off three months ago during the interior painting project!
Clara: Mr. David asked me to reactivate the wall sensors and backup drive two weeks ago while you were away in Miami, Alexis.
David: That's right, Alexis. Every single second of your violent outburst was captured in four-k resolution with crystal-clear audio recording.
Alexis: You... you set a trap for me?!
David: I didn't set a trap. I simply protected my mother from the snake living under our roof.
Arthur Vance pulled an iPad from his leather briefcase, connecting it to the mansion's internal wireless network with a few quick taps.
Arthur: The cloud backup server has already processed the footage from ten minutes ago. Officers, look at this screen.
Officer Miller and his partner leaned over the iPad display, watching the clear video of Alexis pulling her fist back while screaming at the helpless elderly woman in the electric wheelchair.
Officer Miller: That is a crystal-clear image of attempted physical assault on a vulnerable adult, ma'am.
Alexis: She provoked me! She called me a greedy gold-digger!
Evelyn: Truth is not provocation, Alexis. You have been leeching off my late husband's trust fund for seven years without contributing a single honest day of work.
David: Arthur, what else did she access inside the library safe this morning?
Arthur: According to the digital access log sent to my phone at eight fifteen this morning, Alexis unlocked safe entry point number two.
David: Safe entry point number two contains the bearer bonds and original stock certificates for our international shipping line!
Clara: She has a thick manila envelope tucked inside her leather designer handbag right there on the sofa, Mr. David!
Officer Miller immediately stepped over to the white sofa, picking up Alexis's black leather handbag and opening the main zipper compartment.
Officer Miller: Is this the manila envelope you were referring to, miss?
Clara: Yes, officer! I saw her slide those blue stock certificates inside while Mrs. Evelyn was crying!