Chapter 4 - The Arrest at Bel Air
At 2:00 AM, three unmarked police cruisers and two uniformed patrol units pulled up to the curb of Eleanor Vance’s two-story mansion in the affluent suburb of Oak Ridge.
Inside the living room, Eleanor was frantically pacing across the Persian rug, clutching a glass of scotch, while Vanessa sat on the velvet sofa, sobbing hysterically into a silk cushion.
"She won't do it, Vanessa!" Eleanor insisted, her voice shaking as she took a heavy swig of her drink. "Clara is weak! She’s always been soft! She’ll cool off by morning, drop the charges, and everything will go back to normal!"
"She blocked your number, Mom!" Vanessa shrieked, her eyes red and puffy. "You heard her! She said she was calling a lawyer! What if the bank finds out? What if my boss sees my picture on the news?"
"I will handle the bank!" Eleanor snapped, slamming her glass onto the glass coffee table. "I will call our estate lawyer, Mr. Sterling, right now. We will claim Lily tripped over the rug and hit the table! Clara is making up the story about me holding her arms because she’s jealous of your career!"
Suddenly, loud, thunderous knocks echoed through the heavy oak front door.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"POLICE DEPARTMENT! OPEN THE DOOR!"
Eleanor froze, her face draining of all color. The scotch glass slipped from her fingers, shattering on the hardwood floor.
"Mom..." Vanessa whimpered, backing away toward the staircase in sheer terror. "Mom, do something!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"WE HAVE A WARRANT FOR THE ARREST OF VANESSA VANCE AND ELEANOR VANCE! OPEN THE DOOR OR WE WILL BREACH!"
Eleanor stumbled toward the entryway, her hands shaking uncontrollably as she unlocked the brass deadbolts and pulled the door open.
Detective Vance and Detective Miller stepped inside, followed by four uniformed officers with handcuffs drawn.
"Eleanor Vance?" Detective Vance asked coldly.
"What is the meaning of this insolence?" Eleanor tried to summon her usual aristocratic authority, puffing out her chest. "Do you know who I am? My late husband was the Senior Trustee of—"
"Eleanor Vance, you are under arrest for felony accessory to child abuse, false imprisonment, and obstruction of justice," Detective Miller interrupted, stepping forward and pulling Eleanor’s arms behind her back.
CLICK.
The cold steel handcuffs snapped around Eleanor’s wrists.
"Get your hands off me!" Eleanor shrieked, thrashing against the officer's grip. "Vanessa! Call Mr. Sterling!"
Two officers bypassed Eleanor and marched straight into the living room, where Vanessa was trying to run up the stairs. They tackled her onto the carpet, pulling her arms behind her back as she screamed at the top of her lungs.
"MOMMY! HELP ME! MOMMY!" Vanessa screamed, her face pressed against the rug as the cuffs snapped shut around her wrists.
"You can't do this!" Eleanor roared, her hair falling wild around her face as she was dragged toward the front door. "Clara is lying! She’s crazy! She’s trying to destroy my family!"
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Detective Vance picked up Eleanor’s fallen scotch glass from the floor, taking a quick photo of the scene for evidence.
"Your daughter didn't lie, Mrs. Vance," Detective Vance said flatly, looking Eleanor straight in her terrified eyes. "The hospital photos of your five-year-old granddaughter tell the whole story. You’re going to jail."
