Chapter 6 - The Fall of the PatriarchAt 9:00 AM the following morning, back in Chicago, Richard Moretti walked out of his Lake Forest estate toward his armored limousine, holding his gold-headed cane, flanked by four armed bodyguards.
He was preparing to fly to Geneva to oversee his granddaughter Isabella’s medical arrangements.
SCREECH!
Four black armored Escalades bearing the logo of Vance Global Defense tore down the private driveway, blocking the limousine from the front and rear!
Twelve heavily armed tactical operatives jumped out, weapons raised, securing the perimeter with lethal, military discipline.
Federal Prosecutor Marcus Vance Jr. stepped out of the lead vehicle, holding a thick red legal folder.
Richard Moretti froze, his jaw clenching as he raised his gold cane. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?! THIS IS PRIVATE MORETTI LAND!"
"Not anymore, Richard," Prosecutor Vance stated coldly. "Your son, Alexander, surrendered the land titles to the Bennett Heritage Trust twenty-four hours ago."
Prosecutor Vance opened the folder, reading the charges aloud for the surrounding capos to hear:
PREMEDITATED CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER: Federal indictments served for plotting the murder of Claire Bennett-Moretti.
HISTORIC ARSON & HOMICIDE: Cold-case murder charges filed for the 2004 warehouse explosion that killed Arthur Bennett.
SYSTEMIC RACKETEERING: RICO indictments covering twenty years of extortion, port smuggling, and wire fraud.
Two federal marshals stepped forward, knocking the gold cane from Richard’s hand, slamming the seventy-year-old patriarch flat against the hood of his own limousine, locking heavy steel handcuffs around his wrists behind his back.
"Richard Moretti," the marshal declared coldly. "You are under arrest."
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Richard thrashed and shrieked hysterical curses as he was dragged into the back of an armored police transport, surrounded by news helicopters broadcasting the total, final collapse of the old Moretti reign to millions of viewers across America.
