Chapter 11 - The Judge's Question
The courtroom went silent, even through a laptop speaker.
Dana played the trail-camera clip from beginning to end.
Ryan watched himself stand in the doorway for nineteen seconds while I lay on the stone.
His attorney objected twice.
The judge ignored him.
Then Dana showed the deleted messages.
DON'T LET HER LEAVE WITH THAT PHONE.
THEN TAKE IT.
I DON'T CARE HOW.
Ryan's lawyer finally stopped objecting.
He started whispering to his client.
Judge Elaine Porter leaned toward the camera.
"Mr. Mercer, did you disable the porch security system before this incident?"
His attorney jumped in.
"My client invokes his Fifth Amendment rights as to any matter potentially related to the criminal investigation."
The judge's eyes hardened.
"That is his right. It is not, however, a reason for this court to hand him temporary control of his wife's company shares. Motion denied."
I exhaled for what felt like the first time all morning.
Then Dana stood.
"We also request an emergency order preventing Mr. Mercer from accessing corporate accounts without dual authorization."
Ryan's head snapped up.
That reaction told Dana something.
She pressed harder.
"Your Honor, we have evidence of a forged proxy submitted hours after Mrs. Mercer was injured."
The judge granted the restriction.
Ryan went white.
After the hearing, Dana called the company's controller and froze several outgoing transfers.
One had been scheduled for that afternoon.
Four point eight million dollars.
Destination: a holding company in Delaware called North Vale Consulting.
"Who owns it?" I asked.
Dana turned her laptop around.
North Vale's registered manager was Vanessa Cole.
Maya stared at me.
"This wasn't just about stealing your company."
Dana nodded.
"They were already moving money out."
Then another transaction appeared.
Two weeks earlier, North Vale had paid $150,000 to Mark Ellison.
May you like
The memo line contained only two words.
CONTINGENCY SERVICES.
