Chapter 7 - The Federal Raid
By dawn, the local police had the two saboteurs in custody. But because the land was under a federal trust, the attempted destruction triggered the jurisdiction of the FBI.
Facing twenty years in federal prison for domestic terrorism against a protected site, the two hired thugs flipped on Arthur immediately. They provided text messages and recorded phone calls of Arthur explicitly ordering them to "burn the orchard to the ground."
It was Sunday afternoon. Arthur was hosting a lavish, desperate brunch at the country club, likely trying to secure a last-minute loan from his wealthy friends to pay off the New York syndicate.
Sarah and I sat in my truck across the street, watching through the windshield.
Four black SUVs pulled up to the valet stand. A dozen FBI agents wearing tactical windbreakers flooded into the country club dining room.
Through the large glass windows, we watched the chaos unfold. The agents marched straight to Arthur’s table. He tried to stand, his face contorted in outrage, pointing his finger at the lead agent. The agent didn't argue. He simply grabbed Arthur’s arm, spun him around, and snapped a pair of heavy steel handcuffs onto his wrists.
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Arthur was paraded out of the country club, past the stunned faces of the local elite, his designer suit wrinkled, his dignity completely shattered.
Sarah watched her father being shoved into the back of a federal vehicle. I reached over and held her hand, expecting her to cry. She didn't. She just let out a long, shuddering sigh of relief. The monster was finally in a cage.
