Every second.
When the video reached the first shove, Nora’s hands clenched.
When Derek threw the punch, Vincent leaned forward.
When Arthur executed the first throw, the retired lawyer let out a low whistle.
“Good Lord, Arthur.”
Arthur didn’t smile.
When the video reached the little girl, the room became silent.
Santa was kneeling in front of her.
He was telling her that difficult days happened to everybody.
That he would still deliver the presents.
That she hadn’t done anything wrong.
Nora wiped her eyes.
Jonah stared at his hands.
“I should have stopped him,” he whispered.
Arthur paused the video.
“Would he have listened?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then don’t pretend you had control over his choices.”
Jonah looked up.
“But I could’ve done something.”
Arthur nodded.
“Yes.”
The young man swallowed.
“And I didn’t.”
“That’s true.”
The honesty hurt.
But Jonah didn’t look away.
Arthur continued.
“You can’t change what you did that afternoon. You can decide what you do now.”
Jonah pushed his laptop toward Vincent.
“I want to give you the footage. All of it. The original files are still on my phone too.”
Vincent nodded.
“Good. We’ll preserve the originals and document where the copies came from. We may need your testimony.”
Jonah took a breath.
“I’ll testify.”
“You understand that might cost you friends?”
“Yeah.”
“And business opportunities?”
Jonah nodded.
“Yeah.”
Vincent looked at him for a long moment.
Then he closed his notebook.
“Good.”
Arthur rose slowly from his chair.
His knee complained.
He paused beside Jonah.
“Thank you for coming.”
Jonah looked up.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Bell.”
Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder.
“I know.”
For the first time that evening, Jonah began to cry.
Chapter 9: The Photograph in the Old Gym
Derek hadn’t slept properly in three nights.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the same moment.
The old man turning.
The floor coming toward him.
The crowd gasping.
But the humiliation wasn’t what bothered him anymore.
It was the photograph on his father’s desk.
Arthur Bell.
Five-time national champion.
A man who had spent decades training elite fighters.
