Chapter 7 - The Handcuffs
The wheels of justice moved with blinding speed. Thanks to Brenda’s damning testimony and Harrison’s airtight evidence, the FBI took over the case. Wire fraud involving a federally insured bank was not a local matter; it was a federal crime.
It was a Tuesday afternoon. Clara and I were at a local café, eating lunch, when a news alert flashed on the television above the counter.
“Local Portland Tech Founder Arrested in Massive Mortgage Fraud Scheme.”
The screen showed footage of Mark being led out of a cheap motel in handcuffs, wearing a wrinkled t-shirt, looking terrified as federal agents pushed him into the back of a black SUV.
I looked across the table at Clara. She was quietly eating her salad, watching the screen without a shred of pity.
“How do you feel?” I asked gently.
May you like
She took a sip of her iced tea. “I feel like I finally woke up from a terrible dream. He can't hurt us anymore, Mom. It’s really over.”
As for Brenda, her immunity deal only protected her from the federal fraud charges. It didn't protect her from the IRS. Once the authorities realized she had accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen money without declaring a dime of it, she was hit with massive tax evasion charges. She lost her car, her jewelry, and her freedom.
