Chapter 4 - THE EVIDENCE THEY TRIED TO ERASE
Maya arrived at the legal clinic before sunrise.
She had spent most of the night reviewing the documents Clara had collected.
Employment records.
Old photographs.
Text messages.
Letters from the Hamilton household.
Nothing established that Clara had taken the necklace.
But proving she had not taken it was another matter.
The Hamilton family's attorney, Richard Caldwell, had filed a civil claim alleging theft and demanding damages.
The police investigation had not resulted in criminal charges.
Still, the publicity surrounding the civil case had destroyed Clara's reputation.
Maya's supervising attorney, Elena Foster, entered the office carrying coffee.
"You're here early."
Maya looked up.
"I found something."
Elena sat down.
"Show me."
Maya placed a photograph on the desk.
It showed the Hamilton family at a Christmas celebration two years earlier.
Clara stood behind Idan, holding a tray of cookies.
Margaret was seated near the fireplace.
Around her neck was the Hamilton Sapphire.
Elena studied the photograph.
"And?"
Maya pointed to the background.
A security monitor was visible through an open office door.
On the screen appeared the hallway outside Margaret's dressing room.
Elena leaned closer.
"The camera covers the entrance."
"Exactly."
"Have you requested the footage?"
Maya nodded.
"The Hamilton attorneys claim it was automatically overwritten."
Elena frowned.
"When?"
"Two days after the necklace disappeared."
Elena set down her coffee.
"That's convenient."
Maya nodded.
"But I found the security contractor's maintenance policy."
She slid another document across the desk.
"The system uses a separate backup archive."
Elena read the page.
Then looked at Maya.
"Very good."
Maya smiled for the first time that morning.
"Can we request it?"
"We can ask the court to order preservation and production of any surviving footage."
That afternoon, Clara received a call.
"Maya?"
"We have a possible lead."
Clara gripped the phone.
"Tell me."
"The security system may have backups."
Clara closed her eyes.
"Thank God."
Maya hesitated.
"Clara, don't get your hopes too high. We don't know what the footage shows."
Clara looked at Idan's drawing on her refrigerator.
"I know."
May you like
Then she whispered:
"But for the first time, I think somebody might actually listen."
