Chapter 7: The Recording
The digital forensics unit had the USB drive processed by noon.
Rachel called Ivan into a small conference room on the second floor.
She had a laptop open on the table and a pair of speakers connected to it.
"Forty-one minutes," she said.
"I've listened to the relevant section.
I want you to hear it."
She pressed play.
The audio was slightly muffled — recorded through a pocket or a closed door — but the voices were clear enough.
Luca's voice first: *"The timeline is fine.
Stop worrying about the timeline."*
An unfamiliar male voice, lower, careful: *"The policy doesn't pay out on a pre-existing condition.
You understand that.
If they find the allergy on record—"*
*"They won't connect it.
She's been having episodes for months.
I've been documenting them.
Anxiety, dizziness, confusion.
It's all in her GP's notes."*
*"You put those notes there?"*
A pause.
*"I have a relationship with her GP.
We went to school together.
He trusts my observations."*
Ivan's jaw tightened.
*"And the patch?"*
*"Transdermal delivery.
Clean.
No injection site, no residue in food or drink.
She won't even know what hit her.
And if she does wake up—"* A brief silence.
*"She won't be believed.
I've been laying the groundwork for two years.
Everyone who knows her knows she's been unstable."*
Rachel stopped the playback.
The room was quiet.
"The second voice," Ivan said.
"Do we know who it is?"
"We're working on it.
But listen to this part." She moved the slider forward.
"This is from about twenty-two minutes in."
*"What about Sterling?"*
Luca's voice, flatter now: *"Ivan won't be a problem.
He has too much to lose.
He knows I know about 2008."*
*"Is that enough to keep him quiet?"*
*"It was enough to keep him quiet for sixteen years."*
Rachel closed the laptop.
Ivan looked at the wall.
"He counted on you," Rachel said quietly.
"He built this whole thing on the assumption that you would protect yourself."
"He was wrong."
"I know." She leaned forward.
"Ivan, this recording establishes premeditation.
Combined with the patch, the insurance policy change, the financial transfers, and the GP connection — we have enough to arrest him today." She paused.
"But I want the second voice identified first.
If there's a co-conspirator, I don't want him walking free while we move on Luca."
"How long?"
"Voice analysis is running now.
A few hours." She stood.
"Go back to Jessi.
She should hear some of this — enough to understand what we have.
She deserves to know the case is real."
Ivan nodded and stood.
"One more thing," Rachel said.
He turned.
"The envelope with your name on it.
Jessi authorized us to open it this morning." She slid a single sheet of paper across the table.
"She said you should read it alone."
He picked it up.
Jessi's handwriting — careful, slightly slanted, the same as it had been since high school.
*Ivan.
If you're reading this, then what I was afraid of has already happened.
I need you to know that I never blamed you for 2008.
I never blamed you for any of it.
You were the only one who always told me the truth.
I should have listened sooner.
Please don't let him make you feel like this is your fault.
It isn't.
It never was.
— J.*
May you like
He folded the paper once and put it in his inside pocket.
Then he went to find her.
