Chapter 8 - The Cost of Greed
“Ethan, stand down,” I said calmly.
Ethan released Richard instantly. The elder Bennett crumpled onto the marble steps, cradling his throbbing wrist, his face slick with sweat.
Julian looked down at the patriarch of the Bennett family with pure disgust.
“You speak of agreements, Richard? Let’s talk about agreements.” Julian snapped his fingers.
From the back of the cathedral, two men in dark suits stepped forward. They weren't ushers. They were carrying leather briefcases, their badges clearly displayed on their lapels: *Federal Bureau of Investigation - Financial Crimes Division.*
Margaret let out a strangled shriek. “Richard! What is this?!”
“When I finally tracked down Captain Cole,” Julian explained, turning toward the terrified congregation, “I wondered why a decorated hero was living quietly on a modest farm in Virginia while her family flaunted tens of millions in Manhattan real estate. So I hired forensic auditors to review the Bennett Maritime trusts.”
Richard’s eyes went wide with pure terror. “Julian... no... you didn't...”
“Grandmother Bennett left Captain Claire Bennett a three-million-dollar trust in 2015,” Julian stated, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings. “Funds meant to secure her life after service. But while Captain Cole was in an ICU recovering from blast concussion injuries, Richard Bennett forged her power of attorney, liquidated the trust, and used it to cover margin calls on his collapsing shipping investments.”
The congregation was in total uproar. Guests were standing on pews. Socialites were pulling out smartphones, recording every single second of the public execution of the Bennett family name.
“That’s embezzlement, wire fraud, and grand larceny,” Julian continued. “The Vance legal team presented the findings to the Southern District of New York yesterday morning. The warrants were signed at dawn.”
One of the federal agents stepped forward, producing a set of steel handcuffs.
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“Richard Bennett. Margaret Bennett. You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft.”
***
