CHAPTER 7: THE LETTER MY FATHER LEFT BEHIND
Dana read my father’s letter aloud.
Every word felt like a hand reaching across death to steady my shoulder.
“My daughter was never the threat. She was the witness.”
The courtroom was silent.
Even Curtis stopped moving.
Dad’s letter continued.
“If Iris is being accused of falsifying her service, then Elaine and Curtis have chosen the ugliest path available to them. They know enough to be afraid of her record, but not enough to understand what she protected.”
My mother’s eyes shone with tears.
I did not trust them.
Dad had written about that too.
“Elaine will cry when cornered. Curtis will rage. Malcolm will deny memory. Do not mistake any of those things for innocence.”
A sound escaped Curtis’s throat.
Half laugh.
Half panic.
The letter went on.
“Titan was compromised by greed disguised as patriotism. If the Nightfall file is opened, I authorize Iris to assume emergency control of the company and cooperate fully with federal investigators.”
Curtis stood.
“No. He couldn’t do that.”
Dana lifted the attached trust amendment.
“He did.”
The judge examined it.
Malcolm Price’s face had turned ashen.
Dad’s final instruction was sharper than any of us expected.
“Any beneficiary who knowingly participates in falsifying Iris Wright’s service, estate documents, or company records forfeits claim to voting shares.”
Curtis staggered backward as if struck.
Elaine whispered, “Thomas wouldn’t.”
General Carney said, “Thomas did.”
Dana placed the trust amendment on the evidence table.
“Your Honor, Curtis Wright’s testimony, Elaine Wright’s testimony, and the recorded conspiracy with Delwyn Johnson satisfy forfeiture review.”
Curtis exploded.
“This is my company! I stayed! She ran off to play soldier while I worked!”
For the first time, my voice rose.
“I was deployed.”
“You left us!”
“I was ordered.”
“You came back with medals and expected Dad to worship you.”
That stopped me.
Because now the truth underneath his hatred stood visible.
Curtis had never cared whether I served.
He cared that Dad believed I had.
Elaine spoke then, soft and poisonous.
“Your father changed after Carney came. He looked at you like you were sacred.”
I stared at her.
“And you hated that.”
She did not answer.
She didn’t need to.
The judge turned to Malcolm.
“Mr. Price, you are being ordered not to leave this courthouse.”
Malcolm swallowed.
Then he made his own fatal mistake.
He looked at Elaine and said:
“You promised the Captain would never be cleared.”
Captain.
The word exposed him.
He had known.
He had always known.
Carney moved before anyone else.
Not fast.
Just enough.
“Who told you her clearance status?”
Malcolm’s mouth opened.
No answer came.
Agent Reeves stepped forward.
“Mr. Price, we have a federal warrant for your devices.”
Malcolm sat down slowly.
The empire built around my silence was collapsing in layers.
Then a clerk hurried into the courtroom and handed Judge Halpern a message.
The judge read it.
His expression shifted.
“Counsel, Titan Tactical Systems’ servers are currently experiencing a mass deletion event.”
Curtis smiled.
Tiny.
Accidental.
Dana saw it.
May you like
So did I.
And in that second, I realized Curtis still had one weapon left.
