Alex stepped forward, flanking Thomas’ chair. “Thomas Kilton, you need to accompany us down to the station, where you will be charged with the theft of the Kilton Pharmaceuticals drugs. I will also let you know that the FBI will be meeting us there as they are looking into the multi-national drug ring organization as well as racketeering considering money from your private account has been paying for the silence of Beth Washington and Douglas Tiller. Congressman Dell is already being questioned as to the discrepancies in the campaign finances. We’re in the process of obtaining a search warrant for your computers, both here and at home, but the FBI is stepping in and taking over this case. It’s our understanding that they will be freezing your accounts, including your offshore accounts and properties.”
“Offshore accounts?” Robert asked, his palms slamming down on top of Thomas’ desk as he pushed himself to stand, his gaze pinned on his son. “You’ve been stealing from the company? Our family?”
“This is preposterous! You’ve got nothing on me because I had nothing to do with any of this!” Thomas cried, jumping to his feet.
“We can do this easy where you walk out, or we escort you out in handcuffs in front of the other people in this building. You make the call,” Kyle ordered, his voice low.
“Go with them, Thomas,” Robert said. He walked around the desk, and Kyle noticed the older man’s hands shook ever so slightly. “I’ll call our attorney but, Son, I’ll let you know right now… if you’re guilty of what these detectives say you are, you’ll get no help from me.”
Alex placed his hand on Thomas’ shoulder only to have the indignant Vice President shake himself loose. “I’ll walk out on my own.” Turning toward Kyle, he sneered, “You’ll regret this.”
Kyle stalked over, stopping only when the toes of his boots touched Thomas’. The men were almost equal in height, but Kyle shoved his face forward, forcing Thomas to lean back. “You’re in enough shit, but if I find out you had anything to do with calling a hit on Kimberly Hogan and the subsequent shooting of Bob Trogdon… I’ll bury you.”
Robert gasped, but Kyle was done talking. Alex opened the door and motioned for two HC police officers to step into the office. After Alex placed Thomas under arrest and read him his rights, he had the officers escort him out.
A commotion was at the door and a woman rushed inside, her eyes wide. Kyle recognized Sidney Kilton from her pictures, but the harried expression on her face was not like the professional photographs.
“Dad! What’s happening?” She hurried forward, placing her hands on her father’s arms, pulling him close.
“It… it appears that your brother has made some… unwise decisions…” Robert’s voice trailed off, his breath seeming to leave him.
Sydney, still holding on to her father, turned toward Kyle. “Can you tell me?”
“Ms. Kilton, at this time I can tell you that your brother is under investigation by not only the Hope City Police Department but the FBI for stealing pharmaceuticals from the company and arranging to have them sold on the black market. He is also being investigated for funneling money into the campaign finances of Congressman Dell, purportedly to ascertain favorable legislation for the pharmaceutical industry.”
He had no idea what her response would be, but her face hardened like stone and she stiffened her spine, pulling herself to her full height. “That snake!” Jerking her head around, her face softened as she stared at her father. “I had suspicions about some of the financial decisions he was making, but I had no idea he’d sunk so low!”
Robert appeared as though he had aged just in the time that Kyle had been in the office. Turning to leave, Kyle was halted when Robert asked, “Detective, what did you mean by a hit on Kimberly and Bob Trogdon?”
Turning fully to the pair staring at him wide-eyed, he said, “Kimberly Hogan is an employee in your marketing department who had been seen talking to the driver that had been arrested. Bob Trogdon works in your warehouse and happens to be Kimberly’s neighbor. Someone broke into Bob’s house two nights ago and shot him as he slept, but evidence leads us to believe they thought they were in Kimberly’s house—”
The gasps were audible coming from Robert and Sidney, but Kyle continued. “I’ll add that Kimberly is my girlfriend. So, even though I have to