Chapter 8 - THE CASINO MATRIXWe learned through Denise’s emergency financial tracing that Patricia had slipped out of the hospital building during the chaos of Vance’s arrest. Using an undisclosed secondary line of credit, she had booked a private charter flight departing from Columbus Regional Airport at 5:00 PM, heading straight for Grand Cayman.
"She’s taking the liquid cash reserves," Denise warned as we sped toward the airport in Dad’s truck, escorted by two unmarked federal vehicles. "She drained the remaining $400,000 from the Aegis Holdings operational account twenty minutes ago from an ATM inside the casino district."
"She won't get on that plane," Dad said, pressing the accelerator to the floor.
When we pulled up to the private aviation terminal at 4:42 PM, the rain was coming down in sheets.
Through the glass terminal doors, we saw Patricia walking across the polished marble floor toward the tarmac gate, holding two heavy metallic carry-on suitcases. She was dressed in her expensive coat, adjusting dark sunglasses despite the grey storm outside.
"Patricia Bennett!" I called out, my voice echoing through the terminal foyer.
Patricia froze. She turned around slowly, her heels clicking against the tile floor. When she saw me standing beside my father and four federal agents, a sneer of pure venom twisted her face.
"You stupid, worthless little girl," Patricia spat, dropping her diplomatic facade entirely. "You were supposed to sit quietly in that kitchen, work your shifts, and keep your mouth shut! You were nothing but a clean background check for my son!"
"I was the person who kept a roof over your head while you gambled away your life!" I shouted back, stepping forward until I was only feet away from her. "You manipulated Derek, you stole my hard-earned salary, and you let my daughter sit in a house with no food while you lived in luxury!"
Patricia laughed maniacally, waving her hand dismissively. "Your daughter? That child is weak, just like you! Derek never loved you, Claire! He married you because your father had assets and you had an unblemished medical license! We planned this from the day he met you!"
The cruel clarity of her words struck like a physical blow, but it didn't break me. It ignited a fire inside my chest that burned away every last shred of fear I had ever carried.
"Then you’ll love where you're going next, Patricia," I said softly. "Because family helps family."
Agent Miller stepped up, presenting a federal arrest warrant signed by a magistrate ten minutes ago. "Patricia Bennett, you are under arrest for money laundering, grand larceny, conspiracy to commit medical fraud, and child endangerment."
An officer grabbed her wrists, pulling them behind her back to snap the cuffs into place.
"You can't do this!" Patricia shrieked, kicking wildly as her designer purse fell to the floor, spilling thousands of dollars in crisp hundred-dollar bills across the shiny marble tiles. "Derek! Derek will fix this! He’ll tell them it was all him!"
"Derek already confessed, Patricia," Dad said, stepping forward and looking down at her with cold contempt. "He gave up your offshore account codes five minutes ago in exchange for a protective custody plea deal. He sold you out to save his own skin."
Patricia’s face twisted in horror as the reality hit her. Her own son had thrown her to the wolves to save himself.
As the officers hauled her away screaming into the back of a police van, my father put his arm around my shoulders.
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"It’s over, Claire," Dad whispered. "They can't hurt you anymore."
"Not yet, Dad," I said, looking down at my late mother’s ring in my palm. "We still have one final score to settle."
