Chapter 9 - The Fall of the Whitfields
By six o'clock the following morning, the sun rose over a transformed New Orleans.
At the Whitfield estate in Metairie, federal agents and state police cruisers lined the long driveway. Preston Whitfield II, the family patriarch, was led out in handcuffs, swarmed by reporters and news cameras.
At the parish courthouse, the United States Attorney held an emergency press conference, standing behind a table piled high with the documents recovered from the Thibodeaux vault.
"This morning," the US Attorney announced, "federal warrants were executed against twelve senior executives of the Whitfield Development Group and three city officials. They face charges of racketeering, grand theft, land fraud, and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of Arthur Thibodeaux."
In the back of the courtroom, sitting quietly in a dark navy tailored dress, was Camille Thibodeaux.
Beside her sat Lorenzo Vance.
Preston Whitfield III was brought into the courtroom in orange prison scrubs, his wrist in a cast and his leg bandaged. As he was led past the gallery, his eyes caught Camille sitting beside the city's most powerful man.
Preston stopped, his face contorted in a mixture of rage, regret, and utter disbelief. "Camille... please..." he whispered, his voice trembling. "Help me... we were going to be married..."
Camille looked at him, her expression serene and unbothered.
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"I don't speak your language anymore, Preston," Camille said softly, using the clean, cold tone he had once mocked.
The guards dragged Preston away, his boots dragging against the floor.
