"Your Honor," Simone said quickly, "I request that Mr. Bancroft remain in the courtroom."
"Mr. Bancroft!" Judge Williams called out. "Return to your seat, or I'll have the deputies escort you back."
Bancroft froze, his face a mask of barely controlled fury as he returned to his seat.
Simone pressed on with her questioning. "Mr. Peterson, did Mr. Bancroft personally approve the plan to frame my family?"
"Yes. I have his signed authorization for every step: the cyberattacks, the falsified evidence, the witness intimidation. It's all documented."
Victoria Hale's composure finally cracked. "Your Honor, I need to address the court. In light of recent revelations, I must withdraw as counsel due to ethical concerns."
"Sit down, Miss Hale," Judge Williams ordered. "You'll have plenty of time to address the ethics board later. Continue, Miss Johnson."
Simone methodically presented the rest of Peterson's evidence, building an ironclad case of fraud, corruption, and criminal conspiracy. The jury sat riveted as the full scope of Bancroft's scheme became clear. Finally, she turned to her last witness.
"The defense calls Richard Bancroft."
A hush fell over the courtroom as Bancroft approached the stand. His expensive suit and commanding presence seemed diminished somehow, but arrogance still radiated from every pore.
"Mr. Bancroft," Simone began, "let's discuss the real reason for this case. It was never about a warehouse fire, was it?"
"I don't know what you mean," he replied coldly.
Simone produced a map of Pine Grove. "This is your company's development plan for our neighborhood. The highlighted properties are ones that refused to sell. Could you explain why those same properties have all faced criminal charges or regulatory harassment in the past year?"
"Objection," Hale said weakly.
"Relevance goes to motive," Judge Williams ruled. "Answer the question, Mr. Bancroft."