Chapter 13 - The Cell Phone in the Holding Cell
The silence in the mahogany library was absolute. The federal prosecutors exchanged sharp, alarmed glances, while Marcus stared at the printed email correspondence in disbelief.
“That’s impossible,” Marcus muttered, snatching the paper from the table to examine the transmission headers. “Inmates are strictly monitored. Communication logs are encrypted and restricted. There is no way an incarcerated suspect awaiting federal trial could transmit proprietary corporate data to a rival firm.”
“Unless he had help from the inside,” Elena stated coldly, her dark eyes flashing with sharp, analytical fury. She looked directly at the lead prosecutor. “Agent Vance, your precinct security isn’t as airtight as you claim. Someone on the detention staff has been smuggling contraband into that cell block.”
Agent Miller, who had just stepped into the library moments earlier, frowned deeply. “We conducted a sweep of the intake wing forty-eight hours ago. Every detainee was stripped of electronic access.”
“People like Julian don’t rely on standard electronics,” Beatrice interjected smoothly, walking over to the fireplace and resting her hand on the carved mantelpiece. “They rely on human greed. A few thousand dollars slipped to a bored corrections officer can buy an encrypted burner phone faster than you can blink.”
Sarah clutched her coffee cup tightly, her knuckles turning white as she looked between Elena and the federal agents. “He never stops, does he? Even when he’s trapped, even when everything is gone, he’s still trying to manipulate everyone around him.”
“Because he’s a narcissist who believes the rules only apply to other people,” Elena replied, standing up slowly from the head of the table. She buttoned her jacket with deliberate precision. “And that arrogance is going to be his final undoing.”
Elena turned to Marcus and the federal prosecutor. “I want a complete forensic audit of every corrections officer on duty in that cell block during the last forty-eight hours. Track every financial transaction originating from secondary shell accounts. Find out who bought him that phone.”
“And what about Julian?” Marcus asked cautiously.
“Let him make his move,” Elena said, a chilling smile touching the corner of her lips. “Let him transmit the encrypted file to our competitor. Because the moment that file leaves his burner phone, it crosses state lines under federal surveillance, turning a white-collar embezzlement case into an open-and-shut charge of industrial espionage.”
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Agent Miller nodded slowly, a look of grim professional
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