It recorded relevant exterior and cabin views under predefined settings and stored the information through a secure service, subject to applicable privacy and retention procedures.
The car's cameras weren't magical.
They couldn't see through solid objects.
They couldn't record every angle.
And they couldn't automatically prove what someone intended.
But they could preserve what was visible and audible within their coverage.
The company's legal team had also arranged an authorized secure communication session with the investigators for the afternoon.
If a suspicious approach occurred, the CEO could report it without attempting to conduct her own investigation.
She wasn't supposed to confront anyone.
She wasn't supposed to chase anyone.
She was supposed to protect herself and preserve information.
At 1:42 p.m., she stepped into the garage.
Her extraordinary white-and-black supercar waited beneath the lights.
The vehicle was a custom-built high-performance machine with a low aerodynamic body, polished white panels, contrasting black carbon-fiber details, and doors that opened upward like wings.
The interior featured cream leather seating, dark polished trim, and meticulously crafted controls.
The CEO loved it.
Not because she believed an expensive car made her important.
Because she'd loved automobiles since childhood.
Her father's workshop had taught her to appreciate the engineering behind beautiful machines.
This car represented a dream she'd carried since she was seventeen.
She drove it herself when possible.
The security director would follow at a discreet distance in a separate vehicle.
The CEO lowered herself into the driver's seat, adjusted the skirt carefully, and started the engine.
The sound filled the garage.
She smiled.
Then drove toward the afternoon event.
She had no idea that three police officers were already reviewing a photograph of her car.
And that someone had given them instructions that went far beyond an ordinary traffic stop.
The awards ceremony ended at 3:18 p.m.
The CEO had spent nearly two hours speaking with engineers, investors, students, and business leaders. She received an award recognizing the contribution of her company's technology to reliable transportation records, then posed for photographs beneath a wall decorated with the names of the honorees.
Several guests complimented her outfit.
One young woman asked how the sculpted white cape was constructed.
Another wanted to know whether the sequined skirt was difficult to walk in.
The CEO laughed, answered the questions, and enjoyed herself.
For a little while, she forgot about the missing cars.
The audit.