Chapter 5 - The Corrupt Warrant
The flashing red and blue lights painted the walls of the grand foyer in sharp, violent strokes.
Nico walked toward the massive double front doors with long, deliberate strides. I followed a few steps behind, ignoring the throbbing pain in my arm. I wasn't going to let him face this alone.
He pulled the doors open before the police could even ring the bell.
Three uniformed Chicago police officers stood on the wide stone porch. Behind them, standing safely near the rear bumper of a cruiser, was Marcus. He looked completely different than he had at the hotel. He looked confident. Smug.
The lead officer, a heavy-set man with a thick mustache, stepped forward.
"Nico DeSantis?" the officer asked, resting his hand on his utility belt.
"You know exactly who I am, Detective Miller," Nico said, his voice dangerously low. "What are you doing on my property at one in the morning?"
Detective Miller pulled a folded white document from his breast pocket. He held it out.
"I have an emergency court order, signed by Judge Aris," Miller said, his tone entirely devoid of respect. "An emergency transfer of custody. Marcus Vance has filed a sworn affidavit claiming you physically assaulted him tonight at the Drake Hotel while he was attempting to exercise his legal parental visitation rights."
Nico didn't take the paper. "He doesn't have visitation rights."
"Judge Aris says he does, pending a full hearing," Miller replied, stepping closer. "The affidavit also includes testimony from your former fiancée, Brielle Monroe. She stated, on the record, that you have created a hostile and abusive environment for the child. We're here to take Ruby."
My stomach dropped.
They had moved the timeline up. The moment Brielle realized the money clip was exposed, she and Marcus went to the backup plan.
"You're not waking my daughter," Nico said, blocking the doorway with his broad shoulders.
"Don't make this difficult, Nico," Miller warned, his hand moving closer to his holster. "We have the order. You interfere, and I'll arrest you for kidnapping and assaulting an officer. And Marcus will take the girl anyway."
Nico stared at the detective. The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on.
I stepped forward, my voice shaking but loud enough for all of them to hear.
"Excuse me, Officer. But Mr. DeSantis didn't assault anyone."
Miller looked past Nico, eyeing me up and down. "And who are you?"
"I'm the nanny," I said, lifting my chin. "I was in the hotel room. Marcus tried to take the child by force. Mr. DeSantis simply protected her. And Brielle Monroe wasn't a witness to abuse—she was the one causing it. Look at my arm."
I stepped into the porch light and rolled up my sleeve.
The bruise was ugly, a dark, swollen mass of purple and black covering my elbow and bicep.
"Brielle did this to me this afternoon when I tried to stop her from throwing away Ruby’s belongings," I lied smoothly. Well, half-lied. Brielle had caused it. "She is the abuser. Not Mr. DeSantis."
Miller frowned, looking down at my arm. He hesitated.
Marcus panicked from the driveway. "She's lying! She works for him! He probably paid her to say that!"
Nico didn't look at Marcus. He looked directly at Detective Miller.
"You've known my family a long time, Miller," Nico said softly, his voice carrying a weight that made the detective flinch. "You know my father. You know what happens when someone disrespects this house. Judge Aris owes my family a million dollars in gambling debts. Do you really think he signed that order willingly?"
Miller swallowed hard, glancing nervously over his shoulder at the other officers.
Nico leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper meant only for the detective.
"Marcus paid you to come here tonight. I know that. But whatever he paid you, it isn't enough to buy your life. Because if you wake my daughter up, I promise you, you won't live to cash his check."
It wasn't a threat. It was a statement of fact.
The mafia boss was no longer hiding behind expensive suits and corporate deals.
Miller took a slow step back. He looked at the court order in his hand, then looked back at Marcus in the driveway.
"The paperwork... it seems incomplete," Miller stammered loudly, turning around. "The judge's signature is missing the official court seal. We can't execute this warrant tonight."
"What?!" Marcus shouted, running forward. "You took the money! Do your job!"
Miller shoved Marcus back against the hood of the cruiser. "Shut your mouth. The paperwork is flawed. We'll revisit this in the morning during normal court hours."
The detective looked back at Nico, gave a short, terrified nod, and got into his car.
Marcus stood alone in the driveway, looking furious and exposed.
Nico stepped out onto the porch.
"Run, Marcus," Nico said softly.
Marcus didn't wait. He scrambled into his own rental car and sped out of the open gates.
Nico turned back to me as Mrs. Turner rushed to lock the heavy front doors behind us.
He looked at my arm, still exposed in the foyer light.
"You lied to the police for me," Nico said, his eyes searching my face.
"I told them the truth about who the real monster is," I replied softly, pulling my sleeve down.
May you like
Nico reached out. Very gently, his large, tattooed hand wrapped around my uninjured wrist. His thumb brushed against my pulse.
"Get some sleep, Hannah," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Tomorrow, we open that box."
