Chapter 6
The federal building downtown was a towering monument of cold gray concrete and tinted glass, mirroring the sterile efficiency of the justice system operating within its walls. David sat across a heavy steel table in an interrogation room that smelled faintly of industrial cleanser and old paper. Across from him sat Special Agent Miller, the lead investigator on the Horizon Holdings case, flanked by a stenographer whose fingers hovered restlessly over a compact transcription machine. Marcus sat quietly in the corner, a reassuring presence in the oppressive room.
"Let’s go back to November fifteenth, Mr. Vance," Agent Miller said, opening a thick manila folder and sliding a printed email transcript across the table. "According to this digital record, you authorized a fifty-thousand-dollar wire transfer from a personal trust account to an offshore entity registered in the British Virgin Islands. Did you review the corporate filings for that entity before approving the transfer?"
David stared at the paper, recognizing the digital signature block bearing his own name. He remembered that day vividly; Sarah had pressured him over a romantic dinner, claiming the investment was their ticket to financial freedom, whispering that hesitation was a sign of distrust.
"No, Agent Miller, I did not review the filings," David answered clearly, his voice steady despite the dry tightness in his throat. "I trusted Ms. Jenkins. She assured me the entity was a legitimate subsidiary of our primary holding firm."
Agent Miller leaned forward, resting his forearms on the metal table, his eyes sharp and evaluating. "Mr. Vance, ignorance is not a legal defense against federal wire fraud. Your signature is affixed to financial instruments totaling over two million dollars in illicitly obtained capital. Without your cooperation, the U.S. Attorney will treat you as a co-conspirator, not a victim."
"I understand that completely," David said, meeting the investigator's gaze without flinching. "I am not looking for a defense based on ignorance. I am here to provide every document, every password, and every communication in my possession that proves how Ms. Jenkins engineered this entire deception."
Marcus nodded from the corner, stepping in smoothly. "Agent Miller, my client has authorized full access to his encrypted cloud storage, personal hard drives, and communication backups. We are filing a formal motion for cooperative witness status this afternoon."
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Agent Miller studied David for a long, silent moment, weighing the sincerity of the confession against the mountain of evidence on the table. Slowly, the investigator closed the manila folder and made a brief note on his legal pad.
"Very well, Mr. Vance. We will review your digital submissions. But do not leave the jurisdiction. If your data checks out, you will serve as our primary witness when this case goes to trial next spring."
