Chapter 8 - Someone Inside the Courthouse
Arthur Bell had been Daniel's mentor.
He had recommended Daniel for the bench.
He had spoken at Raymond Whitaker's funeral.
And he currently served as chief administrative judge for Ashford County.
Daniel did not confront him.
Instead, federal agents began quietly examining Bell's finances.
The results were alarming.
Bell owned property through corporations tied to Mercer.
But financial association was not proof of conspiracy.
They needed the ledger.
Grace returned to Thomas's Bible.
Three-two-three.
This time she noticed something beneath the address.
A tiny drawing.
A scale.
Daniel recognized the design.
It was the seal carved beneath the old courtroom bench.
They entered the courthouse after midnight with federal agents.
Grace knelt where she had cleaned hundreds of times.
Under the bench was a loose wooden panel.
Behind it sat a metal tube.
Inside was a roll of microfilm.
Thomas had hidden the ledger inside the courtroom itself.
Daniel almost laughed at the irony.
“The safest place.”
Grace nodded.
“Where nobody looks because everyone assumes justice already lives here.”
The ledger exposed years of corruption.
Bell.
Mercer.
Porter.
Danner.
Police officials.
Contractors.
But Raymond's name appeared differently.
Beside his payments was one word:
RETURNED.
Rebecca's name had another:
WITNESS.
Thomas:
SOURCE.
Daniel finally understood.
His father had not been corrupt.
He had been collecting evidence.
Thomas had helped him.
Rebecca had helped them both.
All three had been trying to expose Bell.
Daniel lowered his head.
Grace touched his shoulder.
“You were wrong about your father.”
“Yes.”
“For once that's good news.”
He smiled faintly.
Then they found Thomas's final entry.
WHITAKER MUST NOT KNOW UNTIL WE HAVE BELL.
Daniel stared.
Thomas had protected him too.
The man Daniel sentenced had deliberately kept him outside the investigation because he feared Bell would destroy Daniel if he learned the truth.
Grace whispered, “Thomas knew you weren't part of it.”
Daniel's eyes filled.
“That doesn't absolve me.”
“No.”
She took his hand.
“But maybe it tells you what kind of man Thomas believed you could still be.”
Before Daniel could answer, the courtroom lights turned on.
Arthur Bell stood at the entrance.
He was seventy-two, silver-haired and perfectly composed.
“You always were stubborn, Daniel.”
Federal agents raised their weapons.
Bell smiled.
“You think I'm foolish enough to come alone?”
The courthouse alarm sounded.
Doors locked automatically.
Bell had controlled the building for decades.
He knew every system.
“Give me the microfilm.”
Daniel stepped in front of Grace.
“No.”
Bell sighed.
“Your father said the same thing.”
Daniel stared.
“You killed him?”
“No.”
Bell smiled thinly.
“Cancer did something useful for me.”
“And Rebecca?”
“Mercer panicked.”
“Thomas?”
“Also Mercer.”
Daniel studied him.
Danner had said otherwise.
Bell was lying.
“Thomas died because of the ledger.”
Bell's smile disappeared.
Daniel knew he had found the nerve.
“You ordered it.”
Bell stepped closer.
“Thomas Caldwell was a janitor with numbers.”
“He was an accountant.”
“He was disposable.”
Grace moved before Daniel could stop her.
“You don't get to say his name.”
Bell looked at her.
“So you're the widow.”
Daniel saw recognition.
Not surprise.
Bell knew exactly who she was.
“You knew she worked here,” Daniel said.
Bell smiled.
“Of course.”
Grace went pale.
Daniel understood.
Her employment had not been an accident.
Bell had allowed her into the courthouse.
Why?
Bell answered before Daniel asked.
“I needed to know what Thomas told her.”
Grace stared.
“For eleven months?”
“For seven years.”
Daniel felt cold.
The apartment search.
The surveillance.
Grace had never escaped.
Bell lifted his phone.
“Last chance.”
Daniel heard movement behind the courtroom doors.
Agents prepared.
Then every light went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Grace dropped.
Daniel covered her.
A side door opened.
Someone grabbed Bell.
When emergency lights flickered on, Bell was gone.
So was the microfilm.
May you like
And beside Daniel's hand lay a courthouse identification card belonging to the person who had taken both.
Detective Lena Ortiz.
