Chapter 14 - THE RACE AGAINST TIME
Willa didn't waste a second celebrating. She rushed back to her mother’s room, signed the emergency retention forms, and personally wheeled Ruth out to the car, securing her safely in the passenger seat.
“Who are you, dear?” Ruth asked softly, looking up with cloudy, gentle eyes as Willa buckled her seatbelt. “You look like such a nice nurse.”
“I’m your daughter, Mom,” Willa smiled, fighting back a fresh wave of tears as she kissed her forehead. “And we’re going to be okay. I promise.”
Instead of driving back to the Kane estate—where Sterling’s private security would likely intercept her and lock her out—Willa drove straight to a secure, downtown law firm recommended by an old ICU colleague who specialized in emergency whistleblowing protection: Vance & Sterling Legal Associates (unaffiliated with the Kane family).
She handed the encrypted flash drive and the master will over to senior partner Marcus Vance, laying out the entire eight-month conspiracy in twenty blistering minutes.
Vance listened in stunned silence, his eyes widening as he scrolled through the decrypted Kane Freight ledgers on his secure desktop.
“Mrs. Kane,” Vance said slowly, removing his glasses and staring at her with profound respect. “If half of this data is verified, you haven't just broken a family conspiracy—you’ve decapitated the largest racketeering ring in northern Illinois.”
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“Verify it quickly,” Willa urged, glancing at her watch. It was 11:30 AM. “Dr. Whitfield administers his primary paralytic injection to Everett every night at midnight. If we don't serve an emergency federal injunction and secure a medical writ before then, Everett won't survive another round.”
“We don't need midnight,” Vance said grimly, standing up and reaching for his suit jacket. “We have enough right now to get a judge to sign an emergency custody and medical seizure order within three hours. I’m calling the U.S. Marshal’s office.”
