Chapter 29 - The Deposition
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Three days later, I sat at the end of a long, polished oak conference table on the thirty-fifth floor of the Federal Building. Across from me sat three of the most expensive defense attorneys in the state of Illinois, hired by Julian Vance to dismantle my credibility before the grand jury convened.
In the corner of the room, a court reporter sat behind a steno machine, her fingers poised over the keys.
"For the record," began Vance's lead attorney, a slick man named Richard Hayes, "Ms. Rowan, you were married to Owen Sterling for five years, correct?"
"Correct," I replied clearly.
"And during those five years, you handled the household finances?"
"I managed our personal checking account and filed our joint tax returns based on the documentation provided by Mr. Sterling."
Hayes smiled, leaning forward like a hawk targeting prey.
"So, as a trained, elite forensic accountant, you are asking this panel to believe that millions of dollars flowed through accounts bearing your name, and you had absolutely no knowledge of it?"
"I am not asking anyone to 'believe' anything, Mr. Hayes," I said, opening my sleek leather folder and pulling out a tabbed document.
"I am presenting facts. On March 14th of last year, an account under my maiden name was opened via an online portal. The IP address used to open that account originated from Mr. Sterling's personal laptop at 2:14 AM."
I slid the document across the table.
"Here is the digital forensic audit proving I was logged into my firm's server six miles away at that exact minute, presenting a compliance webinar to ninety-five corporate auditors."
Hayes looked down at the document. His confident smile instantly vanished.
"Furthermore," I continued smoothly, placing a second sheet on the table,
"here is the electronic signature analysis showing Mr. Sterling forged my signature using a vector graphic he stole from my personal tablet."
The defense attorneys sat in complete silence. Hayes swallowed hard, adjusting his tie, unable to find a single flaw in the wall of evidence I had laid before them.
"Do you have any further questions regarding my competence, Mr. Hayes?" I asked politely.
May you like
He slowly closed his binder.
"No further questions," he muttered.
