Chapter 20 - The Deposition Room
I arrived at the downtown courthouse at 1:45 PM, bypassing the metal detectors with my federal badge. Sarah Jenkins was waiting for me in Conference Room B, a small, windowless space typically used for pre-hearing depositions.
Sitting across the long wooden table was Grant, wearing a cheap, off-the-rack suit that didn't quite fit him, looking exhausted and desperate. Beside him was a sweaty, nervous-looking attorney who clearly billed by the hour and realized he wasn't getting paid.
When I walked in, Grant sat up straight, trying to project his old, arrogant dominance. "Evelyn. I'm glad you came to your senses. We can settle this quietly if you just unfreeze my assets and hand Lily over to—"
"Shut your mouth," I said, my voice so lethally quiet it silenced the entire room. I sat down next to Sarah and opened my laptop, turning the screen around so it faced Grant and his lawyer.
"What is this?" Grant’s lawyer asked, adjusting his glasses.
"This is my counter-offer to your ridiculous custody petition," I replied. I hit play on the video file I had extracted from the basement server.
The crystal-clear audio of Lily crying echoed in the small room. Then came Vanessa’s cruel complaint. Then came Grant’s terrifying, abusive threat.
I watched Grant’s face as the video played. The last remnants of his arrogance vanished, replaced by a pale, sickly terror. He began to sweat profusely, his eyes darting frantically toward the door.
"You illegally recorded me!" Grant shouted, though his voice cracked in panic. "That’s inadmissible! It’s a violation of privacy!"
"It’s my house, Grant," I smiled coldly. "The cameras were installed with your written consent three years ago. You just forgot they existed. But this video isn't just for family court."
Sarah Jenkins slid a massive stack of papers across the table. "Mr. Carlisle," she said smoothly. "This is a civil lawsuit for severe emotional distress, child endangerment, and breach of fiduciary duty. We are suing you for fifty million dollars. But more importantly, a copy of this video was handed to the District Attorney twenty minutes ago."
May you like
Grant’s lawyer stood up, furiously shoving his legal pads into his briefcase. "I was not informed of felony child abuse allegations," the lawyer snapped, glaring at Grant. "I am formally withdrawing as your counsel, effective immediately. Good luck, Mr. Carlisle."
The lawyer stormed out, leaving Grant entirely alone in the room with the two women who were going to end his life.
