Chapter 66 - Daniel Under Oath
The Briar Glen residents filed a consolidated civil action.
Hundreds of plaintiffs.
Property claims.
Medical monitoring.
Personal injury claims where supported individually.
Daniel was subpoenaed.
Again.
At seventy-one, he walked into deposition with a cane and no interest in pretending memory was better than it was.
Plaintiffs' attorney was Rebecca Shaw.
No relation to Evelyn.
She began:
“Mr. Carter, did you sign the March 15 scope revision?”
“Yes.”
“Did that revision remove six boundary wells?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know that at the time?”
“No.”
“Should you have?”
“Yes.”
Noah sat behind counsel.
Daniel had asked him not to attend.
Noah came anyway.
Old habits.
Rebecca continued.
“Were you responsible for corporate planning?”
“Yes.”
“Was environmental risk relevant to a possible plant sale?”
“Yes.”
“Did you fail to understand a material document you signed?”
“Yes.”
No lawyer could do much with a witness who refused to run.
Rebecca changed direction.
“Did Henry Carter order the sampling points restored?”
“According to the recording, yes.”
“Were they restored?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“Were you still on the project?”
“For several weeks.”
“Did you notice the wells weren't installed?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Daniel swallowed.
“Because I was working on other things.”
Rebecca stared.
“Other things.”
“Yes.”
“While people may have been exposed.”
“We did not know that then.”
“Because you did not test.”
Daniel's attorney objected.
Daniel raised a hand.
“She's right.”
His lawyer looked at him.
Daniel continued.
“That is part of the problem.”
Rebecca studied him.
“Are you admitting liability?”
“No.”
“Then what are you admitting?”
“That uncertainty became an excuse for not creating information.”
The room became quiet.
Noah stared at his father.
Daniel continued.
“I didn't wake up and decide people outside the plant didn't matter.”
He looked toward the attorney.
“I simply allowed other priorities to remain louder.”
Rebecca nodded.
“And what do you call that?”
Daniel thought.
“Failure.”
Afterward, Noah found him in the hallway.
“You did too much.”
Daniel looked up.
“What?”
“You gave her language she can use.”
“Yes.”
“Dad.”
Daniel smiled faintly.
“You sound like a lawyer.”
“I sound like someone who doesn't want you blamed for everything.”
Daniel's expression softened.
“Thank you.”
Then:
“Stop.”
Noah looked away.
Daniel continued.
“You don't need to make me smaller to make Margaret bigger.”
“I know.”
“You don't need to make Henry perfect.”
“I know.”
“And you don't need to make me innocent.”
Noah's jaw tightened.
“I know.”
Daniel smiled.
“You hate knowing.”
“Immensely.”
They walked toward the elevator.
Then Rebecca Shaw called after them.
“Mr. Carter.”
Daniel turned.
She approached.
“Off record?”
His lawyer immediately said:
“No.”
Rebecca smiled.
“Fair.”
She handed counsel a discovery notice instead.
“What is it?”
“A request concerning the April 1992 executive meeting.”
Daniel frowned.
“What meeting?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“The meeting where Carter Global apparently decided not to notify Briar Glen residents.”
Noah froze.
Daniel stared.
“There was no such meeting.”
May you like
Rebecca's expression didn't move.
“We have minutes.”
