Bitter Pill (Sisterhood #32) - Fern Michaels Page 0,84

What are you charging me with?” He tried resisting as one of the agents spun him around and slapped handcuffs on his wrists.

“Grand theft larceny,” one of the FBI agents replied.

“Manufacturing and distributing a controlled substance, schedule two, three, and four,” added another.

“Grand theft? This must be a mistake. What are you talking about? What am I supposed to have stolen? And drugs?” Steinwood was almost shrieking. He could not believe they had been exposed. It was not possible. They had been painfully careful. That was when he noticed television cameras, reporters, and microphones all around them. To one side, he recognized several reporters from Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC. It was a media circus.

“We are at the Oscar Davis museum in New Jersey. Harold Steinwood, one of the founders of Live-Life-Long, has been arrested by the FBI for grand theft larceny and manufacturing and distributing schedule two, three, and four substances.” The reporter paused for a moment. “We also have footage of his office in Aspen being raided by the FBI.”

Aspen

The national networks switched to the local channels in Aspen to report the breaking news as cameras tracked men in SWAT uniforms storming the office of Live-Life-Long while the receptionist and nurse shrieked in terror. Then the television station showed what was happening at Steinwood’s garage.

The local newscaster chimed in, saying, “Yes, Anthony, we are now in front of Harold Steinwood’s home, where the FBI has surrounded the garage and is removing five stolen high-end sports cars.”

London

Every radio station and TV channel interrupted its regular programming for a bulletin. “This just in. The offices of Live-Life-Long here and in the United States have been raided by the FBI in the US and Scotland Yard here. Dr. Julian Marcus, who operated the office in London, was found severely beaten in an alley and was taken to a hospital. Police are trying to ascertain if the doctor’s beating and the drug raid are connected. His partners in the US, Dr. Harold Steinwood of Aspen and Dr. Raymond Corbett of New York, have been taken into custody, and all Live-Life-Long property has been seized, including a large parcel of land in the state of Michigan, where, it appears, there is a manufacturing plant for the drugs the doctors allegedly prescribed to their patients. More on that later.”

Michigan

“This is Greg Langley from FOX Two Detroit. We’re here in a rural area outside Detroit, where, as you can see, FBI helicopters are overhead and SWAT teams are on the ground.

“This remote area houses a seemingly abandoned warehouse, which appears not to be abandoned at all. Sources say that the building was being used as a pill mill to manufacture drugs for the Live-Life-Long organization. Other sources have reported that the three offices of Live-Life-Long have also been raided, and two of the alleged perpetrators, Harold Steinwood of Aspen and Raymond Corbett of New York, have been taken into custody. Julian Marcus of London has been found severely beaten and was taken to a hospital. We’ll be following this story tonight on our nightly news.”

Pinewood

Screams and howls of laughter echoed off the walls in the war room, and there were fist pumps, high fives, hugs, and some tears.

Myra stood with her arm around Annie. “That was quite a spectacle. Everyone and everything getting busted across televisions everywhere.”

“It’s all in the timing.” Annie chuckled. “Almost every newspaper in the country is going to run the headline BITTER PILL. But we now have to put the second phase into action.”

“Yes, we do,” Charles added. “We are getting the information from all law enforcement agencies as to where and when they are going to transfer the prisoners.”

“Let’s not forget Interpol,” Fergus reminded them. “When the original painting is returned to France, there will be a reward. Do we have a plan for that, and who will get the money?”

Myra looked at Annie, who in turn looked at Fergus. “When don’t we have a plan?”

More laughter ensued.

“We have a plan for everything!”

Nikki spoke up. “As I mentioned a few days ago, Lizzie and I were able to find most of the Live-Life-Long patients, and we are about to launch a class-action suit against the individual men and their assets.”

“But they were seized, right?” Yoko asked.

Charles spoke next. “We, as in us, and our contacts can unfreeze them, but we want to wait until the snatch is complete.”

“I must confess, I have what one could call contraband.” Annie plunked several velvet bags on the conference table. It was

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