Chapter 12 - The Courtroom Recording
The emergency hearing began the next morning.
Andrew entered wearing a dark suit and a bandage above his eye.
He looked respectable again.
Controlled.
He testified that I had become paranoid after discovering his affair.
He described me as jealous.
Unstable.
Vindictive.
His attorney displayed the fraudulent transfers tied to my biometric scan.
“Mrs. Hale,” the judge asked, “did you authorize these transactions?”
“No.”
“Can you prove that?”
“Not yet.”
Andrew’s attorney smiled.
He requested restoration of Andrew’s authority until the investigation ended.
Then Brenda entered the courtroom.
She wore no jewelry.
No glamorous smile.
She carried the old jewelry box.
Andrew’s face changed.
Brenda took the witness stand.
“I helped frame Mariana for theft.”
The courtroom erupted.
She admitted placing the necklace in my purse.
She admitted conspiring with Margaret.
She admitted the affair.
Then she opened the jewelry box and removed a hidden memory card.
“Margaret recorded Andrew and Victor because she did not trust either of them.”
The audio played.
Victor’s voice said, “Use Mariana’s retinal scan. Move enough money to make her look guilty.”
Andrew answered, “And if she activates the agreement?”
“She won’t.”
“Why?”
Andrew laughed.
“Because she still loves me.”
Silence filled the courtroom.
The judge denied his request.
Federal agents arrested him for wire fraud, conspiracy, evidence fabrication and obstruction.
As they placed him in handcuffs, Andrew looked at Brenda.
“You chose her?”
Brenda shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at me.
“I chose not to become you.”
Andrew turned toward me.
“This is not over.”
“It is for us.”
He smiled.
“You still don’t know who emptied Rafael’s hidden account.”
Samuel’s face changed.
I noticed.
“What account?” I asked.
He said nothing.
Elena answered.
“The account holding thirty billion dollars.”
May you like
It had been emptied one hour before Andrew slapped me.
The entire reception had been a distraction.
