The next morning at eight sharp, Kelsey stood inside the sunlit lobby of the county courthouse alongside Lawyer Hayes.
Lawyer Hayes: Judge Henderson just reviewed the emergency petition in chambers.
Kelsey: What did she say?
Lawyer Hayes: She granted the full freeze on all accounts linked to Ryan and his shell company.
Hayes opened his briefcase and pulled out three certified court orders bearing red wax seals.
Lawyer Hayes: The county recorder has officially voided the quitclaim deed. Title to the family estate is restored 100% to your mother.
Kelsey: What about the offshore transfer he tried to make last week?
Lawyer Hayes: Cyber forensics intercepted the transfer at the correspondent bank in New York. The two hundred thousand dollars is being routed back to your mother's trust account as we speak.
Kelsey took a deep breath, feeling the tension in her shoulders melt away for the first time in days.
Kelsey: Hayes, you're a lifesaver.
Lawyer Hayes: I'm just doing what your father would have wanted me to do, Kelsey. He built that business to protect your mother, not to feed a predator's gambling habit.
Ryan's public defender walked out of the courtroom doors, looking stressed and exhausted.
Public Defender: Captain Mitchell? Mr. Hayes?
Kelsey: What is it, counselor?
Public Defender: My client wants to offer a deal.
Kelsey crossed her arms, looking at the defense attorney with sharp, cold eyes.
Kelsey: A deal? He tried to murder my mother with a baseball bat.
Public Defender: He's willing to plead guilty to all financial charges and elder abuse if the prosecution drops the attempted murder count down to assault.
Lawyer Hayes: Tell your client to take his chances with a jury.
Public Defender: If this goes to trial, the media coverage is going to ruin whatever reputation your family has left.
Kelsey: Our family reputation was restored the moment Ryan was dragged out of that kitchen in handcuffs.
Kelsey stepped closer to the defense attorney, her voice drop to a low, icy whisper.
Kelsey: Tell Ryan that if he doesn't accept a full guilty plea on every single count by noon, I will personally testify at his trial and play the high-definition bodycam audio for the jury.
The public defender swallowed hard, looking down at his notepad.
Public Defender: I'll... I'll pass that along to him.
He turned around and scurried back into the courtroom hallway, disappearing through the heavy swinging doors.
Lawyer Hayes: Nicely handled, Captain.
Kelsey: Bullies only understand power, Hayes. Once you take away their leverage, they crumble into nothing.
Kelsey's phone buzzed in her jacket pocket. She pulled it out and saw a text from Detective Vance.
Kelsey: Vance says the notary just signed a full cooperation agreement. He's testifying against Ryan without immunity.
Lawyer Hayes: Then Ryan has zero moves left on the board. It's checkmate.