Chapter 14 - What the Camera Heard
On Sunday morning, Brendan's attorney delivered a drive to investigators and a duplicate to Leah through an agreed evidence-preservation process. Ricardo watched the recording with Elena and Arturo's permission.
The image showed a conference room. Arturo sat at one end of a polished table, his hands folded. Celeste, Brendan, and Vale stood beside a pile of forms.
"These apartments are occupied," Arturo said on the video. "I will not sign a lie saying they're empty."
Celeste leaned toward him. "Then Ricardo's company fails. They'll come after him, and Mia will lose her home. Is that what you want?"
"I want you to stop threatening me."
She pushed the paper closer. "Sign, or I'll make sure they all believe you don't know what day it is."
Arturo stood. Vale reached to block his way, then stopped when Brendan looked toward the camera. The recording ended as Arturo walked out without signing.
Ricardo had to leave the room. He stood in the hallway with his palms against the wall until Elena joined him.
"You didn't know," she said.
"I knew enough to ask. I didn't."
Leah called the investigator and forwarded the recording through the proper channels. It challenged the claim that Arturo had voluntarily approved the deal, but they still needed to prevent the sale and secure the original records.
Just after dusk, Mrs. Bell called Ricardo. "There's smoke coming from the workshop. And I saw a truck leave the alley without lights."
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He heard sirens beginning in the distance.
Someone was trying to erase Mercer Street.
