The rain was coming down harder now, washing against the glass doors.

There was nowhere left for him to run.

Slowly, Preston took his hands out of his pockets and held them out.

Miller pulled his arms behind his back and secured the metal cuffs.

“This won’t stick, Claire,” Preston said, looking over his shoulder at me.

“I have the best defense lawyers in the city.”

“They won’t work for free, Preston,” I said.

“And all your personal accounts have been flagged as proceeds of crime.”

“The judge signed the freeze order thirty minutes ago.”

Preston did not answer.

His shoulders slumped under his expensive coat.

The second agent took Preston by the elbow and guided him toward the corridor.

I watched them walk away.

The lounge was suddenly very quiet, except for the distant hum of the jet engines outside.

I walked over to the window and looked out at the tarmac.

The rain was streaking the glass, blurring the lights of the runway.

I took a deep breath, the air cold and clean in my lungs.

The weight that had been on my chest for months finally lifted.