The records showed she learned the true address before installation.
Her attorney did not dispute that fact.
Instead, Elise described a meeting where a supervisor told her the information would help protect an upcoming bid from sabotage.
She said she understood the instruction was improper but feared losing her job.
She had kept copies of the emails after being told to delete them.
The copies included a request for footage showing documents spread across my dining table.
That was where I reviewed architectural drawings late at night.
I read the summary Simone was allowed to share and felt a cold pressure behind my ribs.
The camera had not been planted to catch a burglar.
Someone wanted to see my work before I submitted it.
I had lost a contract after a competitor anticipated details of my proposal.
The new evidence did not yet establish that the camera caused the loss.
But it made the question impossible to ignore.
Chapter 42: A Meeting at the Library
The library project had become a sore subject in Briar Glen.
People who had never attended a council meeting suddenly had strong opinions about procurement rules.
Some blamed me for stirring up trouble after losing the contract.
Others believed Patricia had acted on behalf of a developer and wanted every city project reviewed.
The city scheduled a public meeting to explain its audit process.
I attended because I wanted to hear the rules, not because I wanted another confrontation.
The room filled with parents, retirees, contractors, and city employees.
A man in the second row asked whether the library renovation would be canceled.
The procurement officer said the contract remained under review and no final decision had been made.
A woman asked whether the city had evidence that confidential proposals were accessed.
The officer said investigators were examining that question.
Then Patricia stood up.
She accused me of using a personal disagreement to destroy a public project.
Several people turned to look at me.
My face burned, but I stayed seated.
Patricia said I had damaged a legitimate security device and was now spreading rumors to avoid paying for it.
The moderator reminded her that the meeting concerned city procurement, not private litigation.
Patricia kept talking until the moderator cut off her microphone.
I could have stood and answered every accusation.
Instead, I waited until public comment reopened and asked one question.
I asked whether the city would publish its findings, including any evidence that cleared people who had been unfairly accused.
The procurement officer said the final report would identify substantiated findings and explain its limits.
I thanked him and sat down.
