NOVEL NEXT Chapter 93: The Concrete Proof
Pierce sat rigid in his chair, the cold realization washing over him... his case was crumbling, but maybe there was still a sliver of hope. He shot to his feet with renewed desperation.
"Dr. Whitman," Pierce interrupted sharply, "this panel operates on evidence, not emotional appeals."
His voice carried forced authority as he gestured dismissively toward Danny.
"We cannot simply accept tearful testimonies without concrete proof. Where is the actual documentation? The verified evidence that proves these claims?"
He turned to address the panel directly.
"Distinguished colleagues, we need medical records, timestamps, security footage... not just stories about sick children that could easily be fabricated to generate sympathy."
Miranda's predatory smile widened as she moved to her evidence table, the satisfaction in her movements almost feline.
"Mr. Pierce, you want concrete proof?"
She placed the first thick folder before the panel with ceremonial precision.
"These are certified medical records from St. Mary's Hospital, documenting Nina Morrison's treatment history till Monday night and their rejection notice ."
Dr. Brennan's hands trembled slightly as he opened the first folder, his face going pale.
"These photographs," Miranda continued, producing time-stamped images, "show Danny Morrison sleeping in the hospital waiting room at 6:30 AM in the morning of Tuesday. Security timestamps confirm he never left the premises."
She placed another folder before Dr. Carlise.
"In addition to photographic evidence," Miranda continued, "I have written statements from the medical staff who directly interacted with the defendants during their hospital stay."
She pulled out several official documents with hospital letterheads.
"Nurse Evelyn Harris documented Danny Morrison's arrival at 6:30 PM in the visitor log. Her statement confirms he remained in the family waiting area throughout the night and into the morning, with her assistance in making calls to other hospitals."
Miranda placed the statement before Langford.
"Dr. Samuel Greene, the attending physician at St. Mary's Emergency Department, confirms in his signed statement that Danny Morrison was present continuously from approximately 6:30 PM on Monday through 8:00 AM on Tuesday."
Dr. Brennan looked up from the documents, his expression troubled. "These are official sworn statements from licensed medical professionals?"
"Absolutely," Miranda replied. "They were particularly clear in their recollection because the family's situation was unusual... a long-term patient being transferred to another facility."
Miranda's voice grew more authoritative.
"These aren't just documents, panel members. These are testimonies from medical professionals who observed the defendants during the exact timeframe when they allegedly planned and executed a violent assault."
The weight of professional medical testimony... sworn statements from doctors and nurses who had no stake in the case... made Pierce's fabricated narrative seem even more absurd.
***
The chamber erupted into chaos as the implications of Miranda's evidence settled over the assembled crowd like a crushing weight.
"They were helping a dying kid this whole time?"
"How could Pierce not know where they were?"
Faculty members who had supported the inquiry now shifted uncomfortably in their seats, avoiding eye contact with colleagues.
Students who had whispered accusations moments before sat in stunned silence, some covering their faces in embarrassment.
Dr. Brennan's voice was barely audible as he stared at the medical records spread before him. "Gerald... how could you not have verified their basic whereabouts?"
Dr. Carlisle shook her head slowly, her disappointment evident. "These young men were fighting to save a child's life while we've been questioning their character based on fabricated evidence."
Even Langford, who had earlier thrown Pierce a procedural lifeline, now looked at the president with something approaching revulsion. "The documentation is irrefutable. This case should never have proceeded."
Miranda moved with predatory grace from Alex's table toward William and Brad, her footsteps echoing in the suddenly tense chamber.
Both young men visibly shrank under the collective stares of dozens of people... panel members, faculty, students... all watching their every reaction.
William adjusted his sling nervously, sweat beading despite the chamber's cool air. Brad's wrapped ribs made his breathing shallow and anxious.
The weight of so many authority figures focusing on them was overwhelming. They had never been under this kind of scrutiny before.
"Mr. Thompson, Mr. Martinez," Miranda said, her voice carrying quiet authority that somehow felt more threatening than shouting.
"You both testified with absolute certainty that all three defendants attacked you. You specifically identified Mr. Morrison as one of your assailants."
She paused, letting the silence stretch uncomfortably.
"However, we now have irrefutable medical evidence that Mr. Morrison was continuously present at the hospital, during the time of your alleged assault."
Her voice sharpened like a blade, cutting through their composure.
"Can you explain to this panel how Mr. Morrison managed to attack you while simultaneously caring for his sister? Or do you possess some knowledge of a person's ability to be in two places at once... hmm?"
The question hung in the air like a guillotine, directed not just at the trembling witnesses but at Pierce himself, whose face had gone ashen.
Pierce felt the weight of every eye in the chamber upon him. Panel members who had been his colleagues for decades now looked at him with expressions ranging from disappointment to disgust.
In that moment of crushing silence, Brad's mind raced desperately.
There had to be a way out. Some explanation that could salvage this disaster. His eyes darted between the panel members, the angry crowd, Miranda's predatory smile.
Then it hit him... one last chance.
Brad straightened in his chair, desperation flickering in his eyes but trying to project confidence.
"We... we saw Alex and Mike," he said quickly, his voice gaining false bravado. "We assumed the third person was Danny because his face was covered during the attack."
The words fell into the chamber like stones into still water.
A collective intake of breath came from the gallery. Several panel members exchanged glances of pure disbelief.
"Oh, come on!" someone shouted from the back. "Now they're changing their story?"
"They're just making stuff up as they go!"
Students who had initially supported William and Brad now looked away in embarrassment, clearly disgusted by the obvious attempt to modify their testimony in real time.
Dr. Carlisle's voice carried profound disappointment that seemed to fill the entire chamber. "Mr. Martinez, are you now claiming you were mistaken about identifying one of your alleged attackers?"
Her tone suggested she found the attempt not just legally inadequate, but morally reprehensible.
"After hours of testimony, sworn statements, and detailed descriptions, you're now suggesting you simply... assumed the third attacker's identity?"
Pierce closed his eyes, a gesture of complete defeat visible to everyone present.
Brad's last-ditch effort hadn't saved anything... it had made everything immeasurably worse.
They weren't just caught in a lie anymore. They were actively trying to modify their fabricated story in real time, in front of dozens of witnesses, in an official proceeding.
In that chamber, truth wasn't just proven... it was weaponized. And Pierce's empire of lies collapsed under its weight.