Chapter 2 - The Headmaster Called Me a Liar—Until I Read His Own Private Emails AloudThe courtroom reconvened after lunch.
By then, the laughter had disappeared.
Victor Hale sat straighter.
Richard Latham had three assistants beside him.
My mother looked exhausted.
I sat quietly with my cardboard folder on my lap.
The judge addressed us.
“Ms. Moore, I will allow limited testimony concerning the events leading to your termination.”
Latham immediately stood.
“Your Honor, we object.”
“Noted.”
“But this is absurd.”
The judge looked at him.
“Mr. Latham.”
He sat.
My mother took the witness stand.
Latham approached her.
“Ms. Moore, isn't it true that you were fired because you repeatedly violated workplace policy?”
“No.”
“You refused direct instructions from your supervisor?”
“I refused to sign a false report.”
“You became aggressive?”
“No.”
“You threatened to expose the school?”
“I told them I would report the violations.”
“That sounds like a threat.”
“It was a legal obligation.”
A murmur moved through the gallery.
Latham smiled.
“You believe you understand the law?”
“No.”
He looked toward me.
“Perhaps your daughter does.”
A few people laughed.
I didn't.
Latham returned to his table.
Then Victor Hale took the stand.
He looked confident again.
“Mr. Hale,” the judge said, “did your school knowingly serve unsafe food?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Did Ms. Moore falsify records?”
“Yes.”
My mother shook her head.
Hale continued.
“She became obsessed with minor technical issues.”
I raised my hand.
The judge noticed.
“Yes, Ava?”
“Can I ask him something?”
Latham stood.
“Absolutely not.”
The judge considered it.
“Ask one question.”
I stood.
I carried my folder to the microphone.
“Headmaster Hale.”
He smiled.
“Yes?”
“Do you remember this email?”
I held up a printed page.
His smile disappeared.
“What email?”
“The one you sent to the kitchen manager.”
I read it.
“Do not put the inspection photographs into the official system. We don't need another unnecessary compliance issue before the donor dinner.”
Silence.
Hale stared at me.
“That email is fabricated.”
I looked at the judge.
“May I show the metadata?”
Latham jumped up.
“Your Honor!”
The judge held up a hand.
I gave the document to the clerk.
The clerk examined it.
Then looked at the judge.
The judge read it.
Hale's face changed.
The email was authentic.
Latham leaned toward him.
“What did you do?”
Hale whispered something.
I couldn't hear it.
But I could see the panic.
I turned another page.
“There are fourteen more.”
The judge's eyebrows rose.
“Fourteen?”
“Yes.”
“Emails?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you obtain them?”
I looked at Mom.
She nodded.
“I found them in the school records my mother was given when she was terminated.”
Latham suddenly looked less certain.
The judge ordered the documents entered for review.
Then I noticed something.
One email was missing.
The most important one.
I had seen it before.
But it wasn't in the folder.
Someone had removed it.
I looked toward Richard Latham.
He was watching me.
May you like
And he knew.
Someone had accessed our evidence.
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