Chapter 7 - The Raid at Santos HardwareBy 2:00 p.m. that afternoon, Maya and I were sitting in my parked sedan across the street from the sprawling industrial complex of Santos Hardware on the outskirts of Maple Ridge.
Two unmarked police cruisers and a state trooper van sat idling at the main entrance, their blue lights flashing silently against the gray autumn sky.
Through binoculars, I watched as Detective Cole, flanked by two armed officers, marched through the double glass doors of the corporate headquarters. Ten minutes later, they emerged, escorting my father out in handcuffs.
Julian Santos didn't look defeated. His gray suit was still immaculate, his posture upright, but as he was guided toward the back of the cruiser, his dark eyes scanned the parking lot and locked directly onto my windshield.
Even from fifty yards away, I could feel the venom in his gaze. He mouthed a single word through the glass partition before the cruiser door slammed shut: Bitch.
I didn't flinch. I lowered the binoculars, rolled down my window, and breathed in the crisp autumn air.
An hour later, my phone rang. It was Detective Cole.
“Valeria? We executed the search warrant based on the financial and digital data package forwarded to us by the Columbus Chronicle investigative desk—which I assume came from you?” Cole’s voice held a mixture of professional exasperation and reluctant respect.
“Let’s just say I have good sources, Detective,” I replied evenly.
“Well, your sources were spot-on,” Cole said. “We found the deleted security footage from the garage night on a secondary backup server in your father’s private office safe. It shows him striking you from behind with a heavy wrench during an argument over the motel video. Your mother was present in the garage during the assault. She’s currently down at the station giving a full, voluntary confession.”
My breath caught. She did it. My mother had finally chosen self-preservation over my father’s lies.
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“Is he being held without bail?” I asked.
“Attempted murder, tampering with evidence, and obstruction of justice,” Cole replied grimly. “Given his financial resources and the flight risk, the judge isn't letting him out anytime soon. Your father’s empire is officially dismantled, Valeria.”
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