Chapter 5 - The Eve of the Trial
The security room felt instantly claustrophobic. The two armed guards moved in, their hands resting on their utility belts.
"Step away from the console," the Security Chief ordered, his voice brooking no argument.
Marcus immediately threw his hands up, backing away from the desk, his face white with terror. "Chief, I swear, I didn't know—"
"Quiet, Marcus," the Chief snapped. "We'll deal with your termination and criminal charges in a minute."
Charles Blackwood walked forward, his expensive leather boots clicking sharply against the linoleum. He looked at the glowing monitor, which still displayed the frozen frame of Miller handing the envelope to Dr. Vance. Charles’s smile didn't fade; it merely evolved into something more sinister.
"You really thought you could outmaneuver me with a couple of janitors, Will?" Charles asked, reaching over and pulling the flash drive out of the computer port before the download could completely finalize. He held it up between his thumb and forefinger, then dropped it into his suit jacket pocket.
"That belongs to the court, Charles," William said, his voice dropping into a register that made even the guards shift uncomfortably. He took a step forward, his fists clenching, but Leo gently caught his arm, shaking his head.
"It belongs to whoever owns the building, and right now, Callaway Investments is the primary donor for the new wing," Charles countered smoothly. "Chief, please escort Mr. Callaway and his... associate off the premises. If they return, have them arrested for criminal trespass. As for the footage, ensure the server undergoes its standard 'routine maintenance purge' tonight."
"You're deleting evidence," William said, his eyes burning into Charles.
"I'm managing a corporate asset," Charles replied. He leaned in closer to William, his voice dropping so the guards couldn't hear. "Tomorrow morning at nine, the judge signs the order. Rebecca and I are taking her off the machines at noon. It’s over, Will. Go home. Bury her. Let the adults run the company."
The guards gripped William’s arms. For a fraction of a second, William looked ready to fight them all. But he caught sight of Leo’s calm, steady gaze. Leo gave a microscopic nod toward the door.
"We're leaving," William said, shaking the guards off him. He turned and walked out, Leo following closely behind.
As they stood outside the hospital gates in the freezing rain, William felt an overwhelming wave of despair. "He has the drive, Leo. The server will be wiped. We have no evidence for Judge Callahan tomorrow."
Leo wiped the cold rain from his face and grinned. It was a wild, defiant smile that made William stop.
"Mr. Callaway, you really think I’d rely on a guy named Marcus who owes me twenty bucks?" Leo asked. He reached into his oversized janitor jacket and pulled out a cracked, old Android smartphone. On the screen was a crisp, clear video recording of the security monitor, capturing the exact footage of the bribe handoff, including the timestamp and the file numbers.
"While you were talking to Charles, I had my phone up against the secondary monitor behind the pillar," Leo said, his voice shaking with excitement. "It ain't the original file, but it’s clear enough for any judge with eyes."
William stared at the tiny screen, then at Leo. A deep, barking laugh tore out of William’s chest—the first genuine laugh he had experienced in three months. He grabbed Leo by the shoulders, pulling him into a brief, fierce hug. "Leo, you are a genius."
"Just Southie smart, sir," Leo laughed. "Come on. Judge Callahan’s gonna want to see this."
They spent the rest of the night at Judge Callahan’s house. The old judge was furious when he saw the video, his pen flying across legal pads as he finalized the emergency motion for fraud, collusion, and the immediate suspension of the conservatorship.
"This changes everything," Callahan said, stamping the final document with his retired judicial seal. "But Charles will have a army of lawyers in that courtroom tomorrow. They will try to claim the video is doctored, or that the envelope contained standard medical paperwork. We need to catch them in the lie before they can coordinate their defense."
"How?" William asked.
"We let them present their case first," Callahan said, a shark-like grin spreading across his old face. "We let Vance swear under oath that he performed a thorough, independent evaluation of Grace. We let Charles swear that he had no contact with Vance prior to the report. And then... we drop the hammer."
While they prepared, across town in a luxury penthouse, Charles Blackwood was pouring a glass of scotch for Rebecca.
"It’s handled," Charles said, handing her the glass. "William tried to steal some security footage tonight, but I intercepted him. The hospital servers are being wiped as we speak. There is nothing he can do tomorrow."
Rebecca looked out at the city lights, her hand trembling slightly as she took the glass. "Charles... are we sure about this? If she... if there’s even a fraction of a chance..."
"There isn't," Charles said firmly, sitting next to her and taking her hand. "The doctors told you what you needed to hear. William is dragging this out because he can't accept reality. You're doing the merciful thing, Rebecca. For Grace. And for yourself."
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Rebecca closed her eyes, forcing down the image of her daughter’s seventh birthday party, just weeks before the accident—the way Grace had laughed when she blew out the candles, her face full of life.
"Okay," Rebecca whispered, hardening her heart. "Let's finish it."
