Chapter 9 - Selina’s Meltdown: The Golden Watch Was Bought With Stolen Money
At 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, the manicured tranquility of the prestigious Whispering Pines Country Club in Westchester was shattered.
Selina Vance was sitting on the sunlit outdoor terrace, surrounded by five of her high-society friends, sipping dry martinis and loudly complaining about the "ungrateful lower-class girl" her son had mistakenly married.
"I mean, honestly, Evelyn," Selina sighed, dramatically waving her wrist so the vintage diamond-encrusted Cartier watch caught the midday sun. "Some women are simply not cut out for wealth. Phoebe grew up in some dreary, middle-class suburb with a father who probably sold vacuum cleaners. When Rowan brought her into our circle, I tried to educate her on proper etiquette, but she was always so bitter, so insecure. She actually had the nerve to demand Rowan miss my milestone birthday just because she went into labor!"
Evelyn, an elderly socialite draped in pearls, gasped in theatrical horror. "No! How utterly selfish of her! Men need their freedom, especially when celebrating their mother’s legacy."
"Exactly!" Selina preened, taking a delicate sip of her martini. "A real woman manages labor with grace. But don't worry, Rowan is handling it. We’re currently looking at private estates in Greenwich to give our little grandson the aristocratic upbringing he deserves. In fact, Rowan’s firm is about to sign a multi-million-dollar partnership with Gideon Sterling’s parent company—"
"Mrs. Selina Vance?"
A loud, booming voice interrupted her.
Selina paused, her glass halfway to her lips, and looked up in annoyance.
Standing beside her table were three uniformed police officers, two plainclothes investigators from the Westchester District Attorney’s Financial Crimes Bureau, and a court-appointed civil recovery marshal carrying a reinforced steel lockbox.
"Excuse me!" Selina scoffed, lowering her glass with a loud thud. "This is a private, members-only terrace! How did you people get past the security gate? Leave immediately before I have the club manager revoke your access!"
The lead investigator, Detective Martinez, pulled his gold badge from his jacket and displayed it directly in front of her face. "Mrs. Vance, we have a search-and-seizure warrant issued by the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, signed by Judge Harrison."
The surrounding tables went instantly dead silent. Dozens of Westchester’s wealthiest elites turned around, staring in shock at the spectacle unfolding on the terrace.
Selina’s friends slowly slid their chairs back, distancing themselves from her as if she had suddenly contracted the plague.
"W-What is the meaning of this?!" Selina shrieked, her voice rising an octave. "A warrant for what?!"
"For the seizure of all assets, luxury goods, and bank accounts linked to Blue Harbor Media, LLC," Detective Martinez read from the official court document. "Including the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet currently parked in space #14 of the club parking lot, which has just been hooked up to a county impound tow truck."
"My Mercedes?!" Selina screamed, jumping up from her chair. "You can't tow my car! Rowan bought that car for me!"
"Your son purchased that vehicle using twelve fraudulent corporate wire transfers drawn from embezzled client funds," Martinez replied coldly. "And under Section 450 of the New York Penal Law, we are also ordered to seize all personal property purchased with proceeds of grand larceny."
The marshal stepped forward, opening the steel lockbox.
"Please remove the Cartier Tank Française watch from your left wrist, Mrs. Vance," Martinez commanded.
Selina pulled her arm against her chest, her face turning an ugly shade of magenta. "No! This was a birthday gift! It is a family heirloom! You cannot take my jewelry in front of my friends! Do you have any idea who I am?!"
"Mrs. Vance, if you do not remove the watch voluntarily," Martinez said, his hand resting on the handcuffs at his waist, "I will arrest you right here for obstruction of justice and possession of stolen property, and we will remove the watch at the precinct holding cell."
Selina looked around in frantic desperation. "Evelyn! Margaret! Call the club president! Tell them these officers are harassing an innocent woman!"
Evelyn quickly stood up, picked up her designer handbag, and looked at Selina with cold disdain. "I’m sorry, Selina. We don't associate with corporate thieves. Please do not contact us again."
With that, her entire circle of friends walked away, leaving Selina standing completely alone in the center of the terrace under the glaring eyes of fifty country club members.
Sobbing hysterically in pure, agonizing humiliation, Selina’s trembling fingers unclasped the gold Cartier watch. She threw it onto the table, the metal rattling against the glass.
The marshal picked up the watch with gloved hands and placed it into an evidence bag, sealing it with bright yellow tamper-evident tape.
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"One more thing, Mrs. Vance," Detective Martinez added, handing her a thick packet of legal papers. "You have been formally subpoenaed to appear before the Manhattan Special Grand Jury on Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. If you fail to appear, a bench warrant will be issued for your immediate arrest."
Selina collapsed into her chair, burying her face in the tablecloth, weeping uncontrollably as the tow truck alarm sounded from the parking lot below, hauling away the last symbol of her manufactured luxury.
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