Victoria: You called the police to our private estate over a domestic accident?!
Robert: I called the Texas Rangers an hour ago, Victoria. Before I even walked out to this pool.
Victoria: You set a trap for me! You knew about Marcus, and you baited me out here!
Robert: I didn't push that stroller into the water, Victoria. You did that all on your own.
Victoria: You can't prove intent! No jury will convict a grieving woman on the word of a biased maid!
Robert: Elena isn't my only witness, Victoria.
Victoria: There was nobody else out here! The gardeners are working on the front lawn!
Robert: Look up at the stucco wall right above the patio awning.
Victoria tilted her head back slowly, her eyes finding the white outdoor CCTV dome mounted to the stone.
A tiny red light blinked steadily behind the dark curved glass, pointing directly at the deep end.
Victoria: That camera... The maintenance crew told me the pool circuits were turned off for tile repair!
Robert: The public security lines were turned off, Victoria. The private satellite backup feeds never stop.
Victoria: You... You have a dedicated satellite camera recording this terrace?!
Robert: It captures sixty frames per second in 4K resolution with directional audio.
Victoria gasped, her hand clutching her throat as cold sweat broke out across her forehead.
Victoria: Directional audio?!
Robert: It recorded you telling my son, 'You will never live to see a single dime of it.'
Victoria: That was just an angry remark! I was frustrated because he was crying all morning!
Robert: And then it recorded you pushing the stroller with both hands and watching it sink.
Victoria's legs buckled, and she fell hard onto the wet flagstones beside the lounge chair.
Victoria: That video is inadmissible! You didn't have my written consent to record my voice!
Robert: Under Texas Penal Code Section 16.02, a property owner has every legal right to record to protect human life.
Victoria: Robert, please! Think of our social circle! Think of what our friends at the charity gala will say!
Robert: Our friends at the charity gala will be reading your federal mugshot on the front page tomorrow morning.
Victoria: I will sign a complete waiver! I will give up all claims to the shipping merger and leave Dallas tonight!
Robert: You won't take a single step past those front gates, Victoria.
Victoria: My father's defense attorneys will have this warrant thrown out before dinner!
Robert: Your father's attorneys were disqualified by the federal magistrate two hours ago, Victoria.
Victoria: Disqualified?! On what possible legal grounds?!
Robert: On grounds of facilitating forty million dollars in fraudulent offshore transfers through Panama.
Four black-and-white police cruisers and an unmarked tactical SUV roared through the front security gates.
Gravel crunched under heavy tires as six armed officers stepped out onto the cobblestone courtyard.
Leading the squad was Detective Marcus Miller from the Major Crimes Division, his gold shield catching the midday sun.
Detective Miller: Robert Sterling? We received your emergency priority dispatch from corporate security.
Robert: Over here, Detective Miller. The suspect is sitting right by the pool edge.
Victoria: Marcus Miller! Thank goodness it's you! Tell these patrolmen to stand down! This is a domestic dispute!
Detective Miller stepped onto the flagstone patio, looking down at Victoria's soaked green dress with cold disgust.
Detective Miller: Keep your hands visible, Mrs. Vance. Do not attempt to move toward the house.
Victoria: Do not call me a suspect! Robert assaulted me! He struck me in the face in front of his maid!
Detective Miller: Under Texas Penal Code Section 9.32, reasonable physical force is fully justified to defend an infant from violent felony assault.
Victoria: Nobody was assaulted! The stroller rolled on the wet stone by accident!
Detective Miller: We have the 4K security footage from your wall dome, Victoria. We watched you shove that carriage.
Victoria's jaw fell slack, her eyes darting between the armed officers as terror locked her throat.
Victoria: You... You watched the live video already?!
Detective Miller: The live feed was routed directly to our dispatch center fifteen minutes ago, ma'am.
Detective Miller unclipped a pair of heavy steel handcuffs from his tactical belt, stepping forward with practiced authority.
Detective Miller: Victoria Vance, you are under arrest for attempted capital murder of a minor, aggravated child endangerment, and corporate wire fraud.
Victoria shrieked, scrambling backward on her hands and knees as the officers moved in.