Chapter 10 - THE TURNING POINT
Before Teddy could fire, a deafening explosion rocked the front entrance.
The massive oak double doors blew inward in a shower of splinters and iron bolts.
Through the smoke marched a dozen men in gray suits—not Rafe's guards, but federal agents led by a man in a crisp trench coat holding a gold badge high in the air.
"FBI! Federal Law Enforcement! Drop your weapons!"
Teddy Vain froze, his eyes darting from the agents to Rafe, and finally to the security cameras mounted in the corners of the ceiling, all of which were blinking with red recording lights.
"What is this?" Teddy screamed, panic cracking his voice. "You can't touch me! My father is—"
"Your father is currently being arrested at his Back Bay mansion," the lead federal agent shouted, stepping forward with handcuffs ready. "And you, Mr. Vain, are under arrest for conspiracy, racketeering, and the murder of Officer Arthur Whitaker."
Teddy turned his gun toward Nell in a blind panic. "If I'm going down, I'm taking the bitch with me—"
He never finished the sentence.
Rafe moved faster than humanly possible. His Beretta came up, and with a single, deafening crack, a bullet passed through Teddy’s wrist, shattering the bone and sending his pistol flying across the marble floor.
Teddy screamed, dropping to his knees and clutching his mangled hand as blood poured between his fingers.
Federal agents swarmed him, slamming him face-first onto the polished stone and clicking the steel cuffs into place.
The smoke slowly cleared. The gunfire died away, replaced by the heavy breathing of the survivors and the distant siren wails of backup units arriving outside.
Nell lowered her revolver, her hands shaking so violently she could barely hold it.
Rafe slowly lowered his pistol, sliding it back into his shoulder holster. He turned around and looked at her, his expression unreadable.
"It's over, Nell," he said quietly.
"Is it?" she whispered, a tear finally cutting a clean path through the soot on her cheek. "Does my father finally have peace?"
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Rafe reached out, his hand gently touching her uninjured shoulder. "He does. The ledger is secure. The men who killed him are going away for the rest of their natural lives."
THE END OF CHAPTER 10
