Chapter 15 - What the Radio Recorded
Darrell Pike had kept a security handover recorder from the night of the fire. Its memory contained routine conversations, a complaint about a leaking pipe, and a frantic exchange at 11:45 p.m.
"West hall is filling with smoke," Darrell said on the recording. "I need to cut the lock."
Rusk's voice came back through static. "Do not open that wing until we've confirmed the equipment is secure."
"There are kids behind it!"
A pause. Then Rusk answered, "Those are the instructions from upstairs."
Darrell also admitted he had mailed Lena's phone after the gala. He had taken it from a security cabinet when he quit, then hidden it for months. The recording didn't prove Beatrice personally gave the order that night. But beside her email, the altered inspection, and Darrell's testimony, it made a story the foundation couldn't explain away.
Sonia explained that the police would compare the audio to other records and confirm its origin. She reminded me that courts needed evidence, not anger. I hated hearing it.
The same afternoon, Ruiz told us they'd identified who had sent the anonymous photograph of Beatrice and Lena. It was Elaine Porter. She'd been afraid to use her name because somebody was watching her apartment. Detectives arranged to take her statement safely.
Beatrice's defense team sought a hearing to restrict public discussion of Juniper House. They also wanted to restrict access to records still controlled by the foundation.
"Can they hide Lena's notebook?" I asked.
May you like
"Not if it's properly preserved," Sonia said. "But they can make finding other evidence harder."
That night she called again, her voice sharper than before. A judge had ordered the foundation to preserve relevant electronic records. Within an hour of that order, someone tried to wipe the backup server.
