Chapter 5 - The Coast Guard InterceptionBefore Aidan could lunge across the table to grab the phone, the emergency klaxons of the yacht suddenly blared to life throughout the vessel.
"Aidan Callahan and Fiona Callahan, do not move!" the lead security commander shouted, his voice echoing authoritatively through the room. "You are under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder, corporate espionage, and attempted financial fraud." Fiona began sobbing uncontrollably, clutching her husband's arms as handcuffs were snapped tightly around their wrists. Aidan glared at me with pure, venomous hatred, his voice shaking with rage. "You bitch! You planned this all along!" I smiled sweetly, walking over to adjust my wet collar. "I merely accepted the hospitality of a wedding gift, Father-in-law. It's amazing what kind of paperwork comes to light when you check the family cloud storage."
As the security officers hauled my weeping in-laws out of the salon and locked them in the lower holding cabins, the satellite communications array in the corner chimed loudly. My burner phone vibrated in my palm. I tapped the screen to answer an encrypted video call. My father’s face appeared on the high-definition display, looking grave and exhausted, but his eyes lit up with overwhelming relief when he saw me standing safely in the salon. "Clare! Sweetheart, are you alright? The automated security protocols just triggered an emergency alert from your yacht's black box!" Tears finally pricked my eyes, but I blinked them back, standing tall. "I'm safe, Dad. And my parents' mountain trip next week? Cancel it. We have a lot of international asset freezing to take care of."
