My Best Friend Burned My Dad's Final Audio Recording in a Bonfire — But My Dog Pulled Out a Hidden Fireproof Box That Uncovered His Family's Wiretap
An hour later, I sat alone on the damp steps of the administrative building, the chill seeping into my bones. The rain had slowed to a persistent drizzle, mirroring the dull ache in my chest. Radar lay beside me, his head resting on my knee, a warm, comforting weight.
The glow of Marcus’s victory party, a distant, mocking beacon, still emanated from across the lawn.
My phone rang in my pocket. The vibration startled me. I pulled it out. It was an unknown number.
I answered, my voice rough. “Hello?”
“Nora?” Leo’s voice, muffled and distant, came through the line. “It’s me. I’m in county booking.”
My breath hitched. “Leo. Are you okay?”
“As okay as I can be,” he replied, a bitter laugh escaping him. “It’s a recorded line, so I can’t say much.”
“What’s happening?” I whispered, my eyes burning.
“The district attorney won’t drop the grand larceny charges,” he said. “Marcus’s legal team is already making sure of that. They’re pushing for maximum.”
My stomach clenched. “What about the wiretap? Pendelton’s letter?”
“They’re calling Pendelton’s letter inadmissible without a state seal, just like Maya said,” Leo explained, his voice flat. “And the wiretap… they’re saying it’s my father trying to confess to *my* crime, not Marcus’s.”
My head fell back against the cold stone. It was worse than I thought. Marcus had twisted every piece of evidence.
“And you?” Leo asked, a pause on the line. “Are you safe?”
“I’m fine,” I lied, my voice thin. “Just…”
“They already served you, didn’t they?” he interrupted, his voice edged with anger. “Marcus’s team. A restraining order.”
I hadn’t even checked my email. “What?”
“Barring you from campaign grounds,” he explained. “Any university property where his campaign operates. They moved fast.”
He paused again. “Nora. I’m sorry. I thought I was helping.”
“You were, Leo,” I said, a tear finally escaping and tracing a cold path down my cheek. “You were.”
The line crackled. “Visiting hours are about to close. I have to go.”
“Leo, wait!” I pleaded, but the line went dead.
I stared at the black screen, the receiver still pressed to my ear. My brother was in jail. Marcus was untouchable, protected by legal loopholes and his father’s powerful firm.
The shadow of his power remained unbroken, casting a long, dark pall over my ruined family.
More Stories
+ There are no comments
Add yours