“Mr. Foster.”
“Yes?”
“You need to ask the court to secure the vehicle components immediately.”
Daniel’s pulse changed.
“Why?”
“Because three days ago our office received an anonymous disclosure.”
“Regarding Harrington Automotive.”
“What disclosure?”
“Internal documents showing prototype brake components may have been installed into privately owned vehicles without authorization for field testing.”
Daniel stared through the courtroom glass.
“Which vehicles?”
“We don't know yet.”
“Any Maryland garage involved?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Daniel’s eyes moved toward the prosecution table.
“Name.”
“I cannot disclose until—”
“Was it Hale Automotive?”
Silence.
That answered him.
Daniel hung up.
He walked toward Naomi.
“Did Ethan take the car to Marcus Hale often?”
“Yes.”
“How often?”
“Every service.”
“Who recommended him?”
Naomi looked toward Linda.
“His family.”
Linda heard.
Her expression changed.
“Marcus worked on Ethan’s cars since he was sixteen.”
Daniel looked at her.
“When did you last speak to Hale?”
“During trial.”
“He came to my house.”
“What did he say?”
Linda thought.
“He apologized.”
“For?”
“For not catching what Naomi did.”
Daniel went cold.
“What exactly?”
Linda’s eyes widened.
“He said, ‘I should have seen the line was touched.’”
Daniel stared.
“He told the jury the brakes were perfect when the vehicle left his shop.”
Linda nodded slowly.
The contradiction landed.
If Hale had supposedly verified perfect brakes hours before the crash, how did he later claim he should have seen tampering?
Daniel turned toward the judge’s clerk.
“We need the court back.”
Judge Whitmore reconvened at 5:20 p.m.
What was supposed to be a completed sentencing had become an emergency evidentiary hearing.
The courtroom remained packed.
Reporters were now outside.
Word had spread.
Judge Whitmore looked furious.
“I have received defense counsel’s oral representation regarding a federal inquiry.”
He looked toward the prosecutor.
“Mr. Hale.”
The prosecutor’s surname was also Hale.
No relation to Marcus.
Unfortunate coincidence.
“Has your office confirmed the pendant was listed in initial property intake?”
The prosecutor stood.
“Yes.”
“Why was it not included in the disclosed physical exhibit list?”
“We are reviewing.”
“That is not an answer.”
The prosecutor swallowed.
“Preliminary review suggests it was categorized as personal property rather than evidentiary material.”
Judge Whitmore leaned forward.
“It belonged to the deceased.”
“Yes.”
“It was recovered from the defendant’s clothing.”
“Yes.”
“And the state argued she never entered the burning vehicle after escape.”
Silence.
“Yes.”
Judge Whitmore removed his glasses.
“How does anyone categorize that as non-evidentiary?”