Chapter 7 - The Midnight Intruder And The Hidden Ledger In The Study
Back in Salt Lake City on Thursday night, the pressure reached its peak.
Abigail remained at her residence under the personal protection of Julian Cross and two licensed security guards. Marcus had successfully secured an emergency federal injunction against Vanguard Sterling, temporarily barring them from freezing the retail store’s merchant accounts.
However, Julian knew that desperate criminals don't always obey federal restraining orders.
At 2:15 AM, the security perimeter alarm along the rear terrace gave a low, muted chime.
Julian immediately stepped into Abigail’s study, drawing a suppressed sidearm. “Abigail, stay in the reinforced panic room. We have movement near the French doors.”
Abigail didn't cower. She stood behind the reinforced mahogany desk, watching the multi-camera security monitor.
On the screen, a masked figure in black tactical gear used a glass cutter on the French doors of the ground-floor library, slipping through the opening with practiced stealth.
The intruder moved directly toward Brandon’s old study, heading straight for the concealed wall safe behind the oil painting.
Before the intruder could touch the keypad, Julian Cross and his security team burst into the room from two separate doorways, tactical flashlights blinding the intruder.
“Don't move! Hands where we can see them!” Julian commanded.
The intruder froze, slowly raising gloved hands. Julian kicked the intruder’s legs out, pinning him to the hardwood floor, and pulled off the ski mask.
It was not one of Victor Ross’s enforcers.
It was Dave Miller—the crooked independent contractor who had helped Brandon install unpermitted renovations and who had attempted to forge invoices for Dalton Bennett in past schemes.
“Dave?” Abigail asked, stepping into the study with cold authority. “What are you doing in my house?”
Miller groaned, his face pressed against the floor. “Brandon called me from London! He offered me fifty grand cash if I broke in and grabbed the backup recovery seed phrase he hid in the floorboards under the safe! He said without that seed phrase, he couldn't unlock the crypto wallet!”
Julian reached under the loose floorboard behind the safe and pulled out a small, titanium engraved plate stamped with twenty-four mnemonic recovery words.
The master key to the $3.5 million stolen crypto wallet.
Abigail took the titanium plate from Julian’s hand, looking down at the groveling contractor.
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“Thank you, Dave,” Abigail said softly. “You just handed me the final nail in Brandon’s coffin.”
She turned to Julian. “Call the police. Let them add breaking and entering, burglary, and conspiracy to the indictment list.”
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