The night was long and heavy with silence.
Mr. Cole sat at his desk, the glow of the desk lamp illuminating the pile of original documents now spread neatly before him. He had checked and double-checked every page, every signature, every official stamp. There was no doubt now—Jacob had told the truth. David had been deceiving everyone.
Cole took a deep breath, reached for his phone, and dialed Mr. Martin’s private number. The line rang twice before a tired but familiar voice answered.
“Cole,” Mr. Martin said, his tone distant but steady. “Why are you calling at this hour? Has something happened?”
Cole adjusted his glasses, his eyes never leaving the documents.
“Sir, I have confirmed everything. Jacob was right. The documents David presented are fake. The real ones were secured by Jaco
