“Ms. Bennett,” he said, “I believe there has been a misunderstanding.”
Victoria turned toward him.
“Has there?”
“Your detention is unrelated to today's hearing.”
“That's interesting.”
“There's an ongoing investigation into the release of confidential information.”
Victoria nodded.
“I see.”
Cole adjusted the papers in front of him.
“Your public statements may have compromised an active case.”
Victoria looked at him.
“Which case?”
Cole paused.
“The matter involving Officer Harlan.”
“Then perhaps we should discuss why the footage from that case disappeared.”
Cole's expression tightened.
“That's not what we're here for.”
“Isn't it?”
Judge Whitmore raised one hand.
“Mr. Cole, I will decide what this hearing is about.”
She turned toward Victoria.
“Ms. Bennett, are you prepared to proceed?”
Victoria opened her handbag.
She removed a slim folder.
“Yes, Your Honor.”
Cole leaned back.
He had expected her to become emotional.
He had expected her to complain about the arrest.
Instead, she was preparing to present her findings.
That was not what he wanted.
He glanced at Lawson.
The officer stood near the doors, looking increasingly uncomfortable.
Cole lowered his voice.
“This is not over.”
Victoria heard him.
She looked up.
“No,” she replied calmly. “It isn't.”
Chapter 6: The First Document
Judge Whitmore called the hearing to order.
“Ms. Bennett, you were appointed by this court to conduct an independent review of the records submitted by the police department. Have you completed that review?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Have you provided your report to the parties?”
“I provided the initial report. I have not provided the supplemental findings.”
Cole immediately stood.
“Your Honor, we object to any late submission.”
Victoria looked at him.
“I haven't submitted anything yet.”
“Then what are you referring to?”
“A document that was recovered yesterday.”
Cole frowned.
“Recovered from where?”
Victoria opened her folder.
“From a storage account maintained by Sentinel Civic Solutions.”
Cole froze.
The judge looked at him.
“Mr. Cole?”
Cole slowly sat down.
Victoria continued.
“The document is a payment authorization dated March 14. It concerns the replacement of evidence-management equipment at the central police facility.”
She placed a copy on the table.
“However, the equipment listed in the invoice was never delivered.”
Cole examined the document.
“Do you have proof?”
“Yes.”
Victoria placed another sheet beside it.
“Delivery records show that the shipment was canceled. The supplier's account confirms that no equipment was dispatched.”
She turned another page.
“Yet the department approved payment.”
Judge Whitmore looked through the documents.
“How much?”
“Two hundred and eighty thousand dollars.”
The judge raised her eyes.
“And who approved it?”
Victoria pointed to the signature.
“Captain Robert Harlan.”
Cole stood again.
“Your Honor, this is outside the scope of the current hearing.”
Judge Whitmore looked at him.
“Mr. Cole, sit down.”
He did.
Victoria continued.
“The payment was later transferred to a consulting company registered under the name of Gregory Shaw.”
“Who is Gregory Shaw?” the judge asked.
“The registered owner of Sentinel Civic Solutions.”
“And where is this company located?”
“According to the public filing, at 410 West Mercer Avenue.”
Victoria placed another document on the table.
“That address is a vacant building.”
The courtroom became silent.
Judge Whitmore studied the page.
“Are you alleging that the department paid a company for equipment it never received?”
“I'm saying the records establish that payment was made despite the absence of delivery.”
“Do you have evidence that the payment was fraudulent?”
Victoria nodded.
“I do.”
She opened the final section of her folder.
“But I believe the court should see something else first.”
Cole's face changed.
“What else?”
Victoria removed a printed email.
It was dated two days before the payment was authorized.
The sender was Captain Robert Harlan.
The recipient was Nathan Cole.
Cole stared at the screen.
He recognized the address.
He recognized the subject line.
And he recognized the first sentence.
Victoria looked at him.
“Would you like to explain why your office received this email?”
Cole said nothing.
For the first time that morning, his confidence disappeared.
Chapter 7: The Message Nobody Was Supposed to See
Judge Whitmore read the email.
Then she read it again.
The message was brief.
It contained no elaborate explanation.
No complicated legal language.
Just a simple instruction.
The payment needs to be cleared before the review begins. Make sure the original delivery records are not included in the production file.
The sender was Captain Harlan.
The recipient was Nathan Cole.
Cole stood abruptly.
“Your Honor, I object to the authenticity of this document.”