Chapter 13 - The Picture in Sophie's Phone
Sophie hadn't broken into anything or guessed a password. She had simply kept the message Dad sent before his accident, when she was studying late and he wanted to know whether she'd eaten dinner.
The photo attached to it showed a maintenance screen on Dad's work tablet. Across the top ran the vehicle number and date. Across the bottom: DO NOT RETURN TO SERVICE - RESTRAINT FAILURE. Underneath were his initials and a note that the rear locking mechanism needed replacement.
"He sent it because I asked why he sounded angry," Sophie said. "He told me work was being stupid again."
The message was dated the night before his fall. The inspection record supplied by Harborline claimed he approved that same restraint the following afternoon, when hospital records showed he was in surgery.
We showed our attorney, who arranged to preserve the original message and metadata. She warned us that a picture alone might not establish everything, but it gave investigators a specific record to compare against Harborline's files.
Dad looked at Sophie with wet eyes. "You kept that?"
"You also sent me a photo of a terrible sandwich," she said. "I kept that too."
He laughed, and for a moment he looked like himself.
I called Isabella with the news. She asked how Dad was, whether Sophie had eaten, and whether I wanted the foundation to find another lawyer. I told her we already had one.
"Good," she said. "You should always have someone whose first responsibility is you."
Then she lowered her voice. "Emma, there's been a development. Ruth Mercer has asked to see me. She's bringing a copy of your father's letter."
May you like
"She found it?"
"No," Isabella said. "She says she never lost it."
