Chapter 14 - On the Night of the Trial, Someone Tried to Silence Our Final Witness and Take Leo Away Again
The courthouse windows reflected a gray morning.
I carried Leo's dinosaur drawing in my purse.
He stayed with a trusted family advocate.
Two officers guarded the safe apartment.
I had finally learned to accept help.
Roman met me at the courthouse entrance.
His suit was plain.
He looked tired.
He also looked certain.
Inside, Nora testified first.
Then Elias described the transfers.
Park explained the chain of evidence.
Roman admitted funding Bright Harbor.
He admitted ignoring Evelyn's early concerns.
He denied approving the fraud.
The records supported that distinction.
Voss watched without expression.
During the lunch recess, an alarm sounded.
Someone had attempted to enter the witness room.
Security detained a man carrying false credentials.
His phone contained instructions from Voss's office.
I thought of Leo.
My breath caught.
Park called the safe apartment.
Leo answered with a sleepy hello.
I closed my eyes.
He was safe.
The trial resumed under tighter security.
The defense attacked my credibility.
They called me an angry former employee.
I looked at the jury.
"I was angry," I said.
"My son needed medicine. I lost my job."
I held my hands steady.
"But the documents don't depend on my feelings."
The prosecutor displayed my mother's records.
Numbers filled the screen.
Every stolen dollar had belonged to someone vulnerable.
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I thought about all the families waiting.
For once, I was not waiting alone.
