Chapter 302
I barely sleep the whole night. My body was tired yet my mind was completely wired. Too wired. Too strung out to fall asleep… Not even Adrian’s call was able to help and that’s saying a lot given that hearing his voice usually does the trick.
So here I am today, nervous and anxious because I didn’t see what Kerry did yesterday coming.
I thought I would just be proven not guilty and that was it. It would be a done case, but according to Kerry, Adrian had other ideas. He’s the one that told Kerry to press charges once I was declared innocent.
I sit rigidly on my chair, this weird nervous energy surrounding me. Suffocating me, because I’m not even sure if we have enough evidence. Kerry told me not to worry, and that just made me worry even more.
“You, okay?” she asks, as I take a deep breath.
For a moment, I think about lying, but I don’t.
“I’m nervous p>
It’s been three days since this case started and honestly, I’m ready for it to be fucking done.
Kerry gives me a small smile, “You don’t have to be… I got this… Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show p>
I try to nod, but it’s almost impossible, because my body is wound so tightly that it feels like I am about to combust.
When the judge arrives, that feeling becomes magnified. I sit straighter in my chair, my palms resting flat against my thighs because if I lace my fingers together, they tremble.
Kerry rises with no rush in her movements or any dramatic flare. Just certainty and confidence of woman who knows she has this case in the bag.
“Your Honor,” she begins, her voice calm but resonant enough to reach every corner of the courtroom, “before we proceed further, the defense would like to address the origin of the anonymous complaint that initiated this entire criminal investigation p>
The prosecution stiffens and Jocelyn doesn’t move, but I don’t miss the tightening of her jaw.
Kerry continues, “Through subpoenaed internal communications and metadata tracing, we discovered that the anonymous report filed against Ms. Sierra Meyers did not originate from an unknown external party p>
She pauses for a second before continuing, “It originated from within Bio-Renew p>
Jocelyn’s attorney is on his feet instantly. “Objection. That’s just speculation. It holds no real grounds p>
Kerry doesn’t even flinch. “Not speculation. Documentation… The report was submitted from a masked internal IP address routed through a secured executive terminal. That routing trace leads directly to Ms. Jocelyn Reed’s assigned access credentials p>
The judge turns slowly toward Jocelyn’s counsel. “Do you contest the authenticity of the digital trace p>
Her attorney hesitates.
That hesitation is small but it is loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Your Honor,” he says carefully, “internal routing does not confirm authorship p>
Kerry nods. “Correct… Which is why we did not stop there p>
The screen lights up and the anonymous report appears.
Then another slide overlays it showing internal login timestamps and badge access logs and then terminal camera. It shows Jocelyn’s face, partially visible at the workstation during the timestamp of submission.
A murmur spreads like wildfire as Jocelyn shifts in her seat now. For the first time since this trial began, she looks unsettled.
Kerry turns back to the judge. “The anonymous report that triggered the arrest, the suspension, the criminal charge of Ms. Meyers was not an act of civic duty but an act of orchestration p>
The judge studies Kerry for a long moment, his fingers steepled beneath his chin. He gives a small, measured nod but does not interrupt.
Kerry inclines her head respectfully.
“Your Honor, with the court’s permission, the defense would like to call four members of Ms. Meyers’ research team. They are prepared to testify regarding a documented history of professional hostility and animosity Ms. Reed has directed toward my client over several years p>
Jocelyn’s attorney is on his feet immediately. “Objection, Your Honor. This is character evidence. The defense is attempting to prejudice the jury with irrelevant workplace grievances p>
The judge’s gaze shifts slowly toward him.