Page 65 of Saving Her Heart
William laughs. "You think I care about prison? I'm seventy-three years old, bankrupt, and my entire life's work is destroyed. But I can still take them all with me." His finger hovers over the tablet with a large red button displayed. "Your choice, Ms. Greene."
I look at Jax, at the captain, at the device in William's hands. Then, I look out the window at my town. My home. The buildings I've protected, the people I've served.
"No deal," I say.
William's eyes narrow. "Then they all?—"
The tablet goes dark. He presses frantically, but nothing happens. He shakes it, hits the power button, but it stays dead.
"Did you really think we'd leave active devices after finding them?" Captain Morgan says, entering with the bomb squad. "We disabled all remote triggers and killed the Wi-Fi an hour ago. That tablet's controlling nothing."
William's face goes white, then red. He lunges for something in his desk drawer, but Jax is faster, tackling him to the ground.
"William Thornfield, you're under arrest for arson, attempted murder, conspiracy, and about seventeen other charges," Jax says, cuffing him.
"You're bankrupt," I say to William. "How did you afford military-grade explosives?"
William laughs. "Bankrupt on paper. I've been moving money offshore for five years, preparing for this. Shell companies, cryptocurrency, hidden accounts. The bankruptcy was just to avoid taxes and creditors while I liquidated everything for this plan."
"So, the whole financial crisis was fake?" I’m in disbelief.
"Misdirection, Ms. Greene. Let everyone think I'm desperate and broken while I fund the actual plan. Twenty million dollars is hidden across various accounts. Enough for explosives, bribes, and a new life in a non-extradition country."
Captain Ramirez steps forward. "Those accounts are frozen as of an hour ago. The FBI found them all."
William's face finally shows actual fear.
"You can't prove anything!" William screams. "My lawyers?—"
"Already dropped you," Captain Ramirez says. "Funny thing about lawyers. They don't like clients who plan to flee the country and leave them unpaid." He starts to step away, but turns back to Thornfield. “Plus, you just admitted everything in front of a room filled with law enforcement officers. I’d say we can prove a lot.”
As they drag William out, still screaming about lawsuits and revenge, I sink into a chair. It's over. It's actually over.
"You okay?" Jax asks, kneeling beside me.
"Building 3 is still gone. All those units, those homes."
"But no one died. You saved them all."
"We saved them. The whole town."
He pulls me into his arms, and I finally let myself cry. For the building we lost, for the terror of the last few days, for the relief that it's over.
My phone buzzes one last time. But this time it's Gladys.
Gladys: Saw the arrest on the news. The FBIs are proud of you! Celebration at Hooplas tomorrow. We're bringing our badges!
I laugh through my tears, showing Jax the message.
"They're never giving up those badges, are they?"
"Never," he agrees. "But they've earned them."
Through the window, I can see the lights of Hibiscus Harbor. Building 2 stands safe. Building 1 intact. The memory center untouched. My town, my home, my family—all still here.
"Ready to go home?" Jax asks.
"Yeah," I say, taking his hand. "Let's go home."
