Chapter 12 - The First One To Break.
Mason Pike looked different without the hallway grin.
He sat in an interview room wearing a plain navy sweater, both hands wrapped around a paper cup he had not touched.
His attorney sat beside him.
Ortiz watched from across the table.
Nina and Cal observed through a secure video feed from the hospital conference room because Mara was not yet cleared to leave.
Mara sat beside Cal with her neck brace still in place.
She did not look away from the screen.
Mason began with the sentence people often used when they wanted forgiveness before facts.
"This was never supposed to happen."
Ortiz replied, "Tell me what was supposed to happen."
Mason swallowed.
He said Dylan learned through his father that someone in municipal records had found old Mercer documents.
Dylan was told to identify the employee and recover any copies before an audit began.
Trent knew a former city contractor who could track file access.
That trail led to Mara.
Mason admitted taking the flash drive from the library.
"Dylan told me it was company property."
Ortiz did not react.
"And the parking garage?"
Mason looked toward his attorney.
The attorney nodded.
"Dylan arranged the meeting using Denning's account."
Mara's fingers tightened around the blanket.
Mason continued.
They expected Mara to arrive with another copy.
When she refused to give them anything, the argument became chaotic.
Mara tried to leave.
In the confusion, she fell against a concrete divider and lost consciousness.
Mason insisted no one intended for her to be injured.
Cal's face went hard.
Mara touched his wrist.
"Keep listening."
Mason said Dylan panicked.
Instead of calling emergency services from the garage, Dylan contacted Graham Vale.
Vale instructed them to move Mara using a Northline vehicle and take her to St. Catherine, where he said the situation could be handled privately.
Ortiz leaned forward.
"Handled how?"
"I don't know."
"You were there."
"I stayed in the SUV."
Mason's voice shook now.
"Vale went inside first."
"Dylan told us the hospital would record it as a simple fall and nobody would ask questions."
Mara closed her eyes.
The words were almost worse than the laughter.
They had discussed her life as an inconvenience in paperwork.
Ortiz asked about the missing footage.
Mason said Trent called a Northline technician he knew through his uncle.
The technician was told there had been a privacy breach involving a donor and was instructed to interrupt the archive feed.
"Did Trent know that was illegal?"
Mason looked down.
"We all knew it wasn't right."
Cal spoke quietly to Nina.
"There it is."
Not revenge.
Not rumor.
A witness putting names beside actions.
Ortiz moved to the most important question.
"Why are you talking now?"
Mason's eyes filled with panic.
"Because Dylan's father sent people to my apartment last night."
"They told me to sign a statement saying I wasn't at the garage."
"When I refused, they reminded me my mother's name is in the old Mercer files."
Nina leaned closer to the monitor.
Mason continued.
"Dylan said his father can make the whole thing disappear again."
Ortiz asked, "Again?"
Mason nodded.
"That's the word he used."
Cal felt Mara's hand close over his.
Mason's attorney placed a phone on the table.
"My client also brought a recording from last night."
Ortiz played it.
Dylan's voice filled the interview room.
"You keep your story straight, or my father will make sure your family carries this with you."
Then another voice spoke in the background.
Richard Rourke.
"Enough, Dylan."
The recording ended.
May you like
Mara stared at the screen.
For the first time, the powerful man behind the wall had stepped into the evidence himself.
