The sentence was so plain that I almost missed its significance.
I stared at her.
Ruiz continued.
“He may say many things, Mrs. Hayes. My job is not to choose the most polished speaker in the room. My job is to document facts.”
Facts.
I felt something inside me loosen.
“Call me Maya.”
“All right, Maya.”
I looked toward Liam.
“The drive.”
His face changed.
Only slightly.
But I saw it.
Ruiz saw it too.
“What drive?” she asked.
Liam answered before I could.
“A secure storage device. Maya arranged for me to receive copies of documents.”
“Where is it now?”
“In my possession.”
Ruiz’s gaze moved between us.
“Has anyone else had access to it?”
“No.”
I closed my eyes.
“That’s not everything.”
Liam sat very still.
“What do you mean?”
“The audit.”
His brow furrowed.
“You told me you’d requested one.”
“I did.”
“Through Apex?”
