Chapter 2 - THE THREE WORDS
The prosecution called its final witness before lunch.
A digital forensics specialist explained that the company’s electronic records showed Dante had personally approved the disputed transactions.
“Can those records be altered?” Marcus asked during cross-examination.
“Not without administrator access.”
“Could someone with administrator access modify the timestamps?”
“In theory, yes.”
“But you found no evidence of tampering.”
“No.”
Marcus looked frustrated. He had spent twenty years defending wealthy clients, but he knew when a case was slipping away.
The judge turned toward Dante. “Mr. Moretti, your defense has had ample opportunity to challenge these allegations. If you have no further evidence, I will consider the prosecution’s request to freeze the remaining assets pending the final judgment.”
That meant the immediate loss of Dante’s businesses, properties, and controlling shares. Thousands of employees could lose their jobs. Victor would gain control of the shipping company, the hotel group, and the warehouses that had once belonged to Dante’s father.
Dante rose slowly. “Your Honor, I have never authorized those transfers.”
Victor’s attorney stood. “An unsupported denial is not evidence.”
The judge raised a hand. “Mr. Moretti, please sit down.”
Dante sat.
For a few seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Elena leaned toward him. “Mr. Moretti.”
He turned, irritated. “What?”
“I can prove the records were altered.”
Dante stared at her.
“The timestamps were changed,” she said quietly. “The invoices were duplicated. And the original ledger wasn’t destroyed.”
Marcus heard her and leaned closer. “Do you understand what you’re saying?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have evidence?”
Elena opened her leather notebook and removed a small encrypted drive. “I have the original transaction log, the archived invoices, and a message that proves the financial director knew the records had been altered.”
Marcus’s eyes widened. “Why haven’t you told us this before?”
“Because I needed to verify that the documents were authentic.”
Dante looked at her as though he were seeing her for the first time. “How did you get these?”
“From your company’s archived server.”
“You accessed a restricted server.”
“Yes.”
Marcus looked horrified, but Elena didn’t lower her eyes.
“If you submit these records, the prosecution will have to examine them,” she said. “And if they are authenticated, the entire case changes.”
Dante studied her face. For six weeks she had passed him documents, organized his appointments, and answered questions in a quiet voice. He had never imagined she could be the person holding the key to his survival.
“Why should I trust you?” he asked.
Elena’s expression changed. “You shouldn’t trust me because I work for you. You should trust the evidence.”
For a long moment, Dante said nothing. Then he turned to Marcus and asked the judge to recall the witness.
The courtroom reconvened after a short recess. Marcus approached the bench and requested permission to submit newly discovered digital evidence.
Victor’s attorney immediately objected. “Your Honor, the defense cannot introduce unverified material at the last minute.”
Marcus remained composed. “We are requesting independent authentication. The records may establish that the prosecution’s central evidence has been manipulated.”
The judge considered the request. “Who discovered these records?”
“An employee of Mr. Moretti’s company.”
The judge looked over his glasses. “Is the employee present?”
Elena stood.
Every head turned toward her. She walked toward the witness stand with her notebook held against her chest. Her steps were measured, but her heart pounded. She had spent years imagining the moment she would finally learn what happened to Daniel. She hadn’t imagined facing a courtroom full of people who could destroy her credibility with a single question.
After taking the oath, she faced Victor’s attorney. He smiled politely.
“Ms. Brooks, you’re an administrative assistant, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Not a licensed forensic investigator.”
“Correct.”
“And yet you expect this court to believe that you discovered evidence overlooked by professional investigators.”
“I don’t expect the court to believe anything without verification.”
A few spectators exchanged glances. The attorney’s smile disappeared.
“Did you personally witness Mr. Hail altering these documents?”
“No.”
“Then you cannot testify that he did it.”
“I can testify to what I found.” Elena opened her notebook. “On September 18th, at 11:42 p.m., the original financial ledger was exported from the company’s archive. Four minutes later, an administrator account changed the timestamps on the corresponding approval records.”
“Can you identify the administrator?”
“Yes.”
“Who was it?”
Elena looked directly at the witness stand. “Thomas Vance.”
The courtroom erupted in whispers. Thomas shifted in his seat.
Victor’s attorney approached. “That is a serious accusation. Do you have proof?”
Elena nodded. “The archive contains an audit trail. It also contains a message sent by Mr. Vance confirming that the original ledger had been hidden.”
“Where is this message?”
“On the encrypted drive submitted to the court.”
The judge ordered the courtroom to remain quiet. “Has this evidence been independently authenticated?”
“Not yet, Your Honor,” Marcus replied. “We request that the court-appointed specialist examine it.”
Victor’s lawyer objected again, but the judge raised his hand. “The request is granted, subject to verification.”
For the first time that day, Victor stopped smiling.
Elena looked toward Thomas. He was staring at her with an expression she recognized.
Fear.
May you like
But there was something else in his eyes too. Recognition.
He knew who she was. And he knew why she had come.
