Cole's face tightened.
“That's not what the message said.”
Victoria opened the folder and removed a printed copy.
“Would you like to read it?”
The judge extended her hand.
Victoria passed the document to the clerk.
The clerk delivered it.
Judge Whitmore read the message silently.
Then she read it again.
“Mr. Cole.”
“Yes, Your Honor?”
“This email is from your office.”
Cole stared at the document.
“Yes.”
“And it clearly identifies Ms. Bennett as an authorized investigator.”
“It identifies her as an external reviewer.”
“An external reviewer authorized to examine the very records you claim she had no right to possess.”
Cole said nothing.
The judge continued.
“Why did you authorize her arrest?”
“I believed she had exceeded the scope of her assignment.”
“Based on what?”
“Information supplied by Captain Harlan.”
“Did you ask Captain Harlan whether he was personally connected to the records under review?”
Cole's silence lasted too long.
Victoria looked at him.
“That answer is in the documents, too.”
Cole turned.
“What documents?”
“The financial disclosure forms.”
He looked genuinely alarmed.
Victoria removed another sheet.
“Captain Harlan failed to disclose that his brother, Gregory Shaw, had a financial interest in Sentinel Civic Solutions.”
Cole's mouth tightened.
“That's an allegation.”
“The corporate filing is public.”
“Ownership structures can be complicated.”
“Not when the company is registered under the brother's name, uses the captain's home address as its mailing address, and receives payments through an account linked to a family trust.”
Judge Whitmore studied the document.
“Are you alleging that Captain Harlan influenced a public contract involving a company connected to his family?”
“I'm saying the records establish a relationship that should have been disclosed.”
“And the missing equipment?”
Victoria turned another page.
“The department paid $280,000 for equipment that was never delivered. The invoices were approved by Captain Harlan's office. The delivery confirmations were signed by an employee who left the company six months before the shipment date.”
Cole rubbed his forehead.
“Your Honor, this information has not been independently tested.”
“Then why did you try to prevent the review?”
Cole looked up.
“I did not.”
Victoria tapped the printed email.
“Your office requested that the original delivery records be excluded from the production file.”
The courtroom became silent again.
Judge Whitmore looked at the prosecutor.
“Is that your signature?”
Cole did not answer.
“Mr. Cole, is that your signature?”
“Yes.”
“Then explain the instruction.”
Cole took a breath.
“The instruction was intended to protect privileged material.”
Victoria shook her head.
“The records weren't privileged. They were invoices, shipping receipts, and equipment inventories.”
“That's your interpretation.”
“Then we should ask the person who created them.”
The judge looked at her.
“Who is that?”
Victoria placed another document on the table.
“Gregory Shaw.”
Chapter 12 — The Man Behind Sentinel
Gregory Shaw had not been expected to appear in court that morning.
In fact, according to the official schedule, he was supposed to be in another state.
Victoria explained that Shaw had contacted her two days earlier through an encrypted message. He claimed he had information about the Sentinel Civic Solutions contract and wanted protection before speaking publicly.
She had arranged for him to submit a sworn statement.
But he had refused to sign it.
“He was afraid,” Victoria said.
“Of whom?” Judge Whitmore asked.
“Captain Harlan.”
Cole scoffed.
“Convenient.”
Victoria looked at him.
“Would you like to hear the message he sent me?”
The judge nodded.
Victoria opened the phone.
A short message appeared on the screen.
They know I kept the original records. They came to my house last night. I won't be able to talk if they find me.
Below it was a second message.
Ask who approved the final payment. It wasn't the procurement office.
Judge Whitmore leaned forward.
“Who approved it?”
Victoria placed a finger on the final line.
“Captain Robert Harlan.”
Cole shook his head.
“This is hearsay.”
“It's a lead,” Victoria replied. “And it's one your office refused to investigate.”
The judge looked at the court clerk.
“Contact the security director. I want to know whether Mr. Shaw is inside the courthouse.”
The clerk picked up the phone.
A few seconds later, he shook his head.
“No, Your Honor. He isn't listed as a visitor.”
Victoria frowned.
“He was supposed to arrive at nine.”
“Did he confirm?”
“Yes.”
“Has he contacted you since?”
“No.”
Judge Whitmore looked toward the security director's desk.
“Find out whether he entered the building. Check the visitor logs and security cameras.”