Chapter 9: Everything That Was Mine
The trial lasted eleven days.
The audio recordings were verified by two independent forensic analysts.
Dr.
Marcus Webb testified for the prosecution under an immunity agreement — partial immunity, negotiated down from what his solicitor had originally asked for.
He confirmed the arrangement with Richard.
He confirmed the amended biopsy.
He confirmed that he had known, when he sat across from me in that room with the pale blue walls and the box of tissues, that the diagnosis he was delivering was false.
He did not look at me when he said it.
Victor Hale provided his written statement and the name of the hospital administrator who had altered the records.
That administrator was arrested on the fourth day of the trial.
Victor received a suspended sentence.
I did not agree with it.
Patricia reminded me that the alternative was a longer trial with less certainty, and I accepted that, though it sat poorly.
Daniel hired his own barrister and entered a guilty plea on the lesser charge of conspiracy to commit fraud.
He was fined and given a two-year suspended sentence.
He called me the evening after sentencing.
I answered.
"Catherine," he said.
"I don't expect forgiveness."
"Good," I said.
"Because I'm not there yet."
"I know." A long pause.
"I am sorry.
I know that doesn't—"
"It doesn't fix it," I said.
"But I heard you."
I ended the call.
Sat with the phone in my hand for a moment.
Then set it face-down on the desk and went back to what I had been doing.
Richard was convicted on all primary counts.
Financial fraud.
Conspiracy.
Domestic @buse.
Procurement of a false medical diagnosis — a charge that had required some legal creativity from the prosecution team but had landed cleanly once the recordings were in evidence.
He was sentenced to nine years.
His barrister announced an intention to appeal.
Patricia told me the appeal had a low probability of success.
I told her to prepare for it anyway.
The companies came back to me through a court-ordered reversal of the fraudulent transfers.
All three.
The restructuring documents Daniel had signed were voided.
The accounts Richard had hidden were located — including the one Sienna had written down on that piece of paper in her kitchen drawer, which contained just over four hundred thousand pounds that Richard had been moving quietly for two years.
That money became part of the civil settlement.
I stood in Patricia's office on the afternoon the final transfer was confirmed and looked at the document she placed in front of me.
"That's everything," she said.
"Everything he took?"
"Everything he took, plus interest, plus damages."
I picked up the pen.
Signed where she indicated.
"What happens now?" she said.
May you like
I set the pen down.
"Now I go home," I said.
