Chapter 5 - Unmasking Sloane Mercer
Down at the county correctional facility, Sloane Mercer sat in an interrogation room, her expensive silk dress rumpled, her makeup smeared, staring at her court-appointed public defender.
"Grant is going to post my bail," Sloane insisted, her voice shrill as she slammed her hands against the metal table. "Call his office! He has millions! He’s the CEO of Hale Enterprises!"
The interrogation room door opened, and Deputy Aaron Bell stepped inside, accompanied by a female federal agent from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Miss Mercer," Deputy Bell said, setting a heavy manila folder on the table. "Mr. Grant Hale’s legal team just submitted an official statement to the district attorney’s office."
Sloane’s face lit up with a smug, triumphant smile. "I told you. He’s taking care of it."
"You might want to read the statement first," the SEC agent noted, sliding a single sheet of paper across the table.
Sloane snatched the paper, her eyes scanning the text. As she read, the remaining color drained from her face, leaving her completely pale.
The statement, drafted by Grant’s personal defense attorney, declared that Grant Hale had been the victim of a sophisticated extortion scheme orchestrated by Sloane Mercer. It claimed that Sloane had manipulated corporate accounts without his knowledge and that her actions at the fire pit were the result of an unprovoked, independent mental episode.
Grant had thrown her entirely to the wolves to protect his own skin.
"He... he lied," Sloane gasped, her voice cracking as the paper shook violently in her hands. "He told me he loved me! He signed those wire transfers himself!"
"If you have proof that Mr. Hale authorized those offshore transfers," the SEC agent said smoothly, pulling out a voice recorder, "now would be an excellent time to share it."
Sloane looked at the cold concrete walls of the holding cell, then at the federal badge pinned to the agent's jacket. The illusion of her glamorous, high-society life vanished in a single instant.
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"I have the emails," Sloane sobbed, her voice dripping with rage and betrayal. "I have the encrypted text logs. He told me if I got rid of Nora’s influence, we’d take the Cayman accounts and move to Europe before the annual audit!"
"He planned the whole thing."
