Chapter 6 - THE AUDIT AND THE ARSENAL
Before Brandon could stand up from the floor, the front door rattled under a firm knock, followed by the heavy footfalls of police officers entering the foyer.
"San Diego Police Department! Open up!"
Officer Peters stepped into the study, flanked by two detectives in dark suits and a civilian carrying a heavy aluminum briefcase. The civilian was Arthur Vance, a well-known forensic accountant specializing in corporate fraud and hidden assets in high-net-worth divorces.
Arthur looked around the room, took one glance at the open wall safe and the scattered divorce papers, and gave a small, satisfied nod.
"Looks like we arrived just in time," Arthur said, opening his briefcase and pulling out a portable printer. "Mr. Miller, I presume? I have a court-ordered subpoena for all digital devices, hard drives, and offshore account records linked to you and your mother's holding corporation."
Brandon scrambled to his feet, pulling himself up with the edge of the desk. "You can't do this! This is a private residence! You need a superior court judge's signature!"
Officer Peters pulled a folded document from his breast pocket and snapped it open.
"Signed twenty minutes ago by Judge Alvarez," Officer Peters said smoothly. "Triggered by the emergency child endangerment report and corroborated by the digital forensics we pulled from the dining room camera. Mr. Miller, your mother has already started singing down at the precinct. She's blaming the entire custody conspiracy on you."
Brandon staggered backward, his hip hitting the edge of the bookshelf. "She... she's blaming me?"
"According to Mrs. Miller Senior, you were the one who wanted full custody of Nancy at any cost to protect the family trust from a 'disastrous marriage,'" Officer Peters explained, snapping a pair of zip-ties onto Brandon's wrists before he could react. "She claims she only administered the magnets under your direct instruction to prove maternal negligence."
"That's a lie!" Brandon roared, struggling against the restraints as the detectives moved in to pack up the safe's contents. "She's insane! She did it on her own!"
"You can tell it to the judge, Mr. Miller," Officer Peters said firmly, guiding him toward the door.
As they walked past me, Brandon turned his head, his eyes burning with a desperate, pathetic mix of betrayal and terror.
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"Samantha! Please! Don't let them do this! We're a family!"
"Our family ended the moment your mother put thirty-six magnets in our daughter's stomach," I replied steadily, not blinking an eye. "And you helped her load the gun."
