The System wouldn't stop running scenarios. Every time I tried to focus on trial prep, it presented another probability tree, another tactical assessment, another calculation about what revealing the Huntley information would do to my case.
[ **Strategic Analysis: Huntley Information Disclosure** ]
Scenario A: Reveal Huntley Evidence Criminal Impact: Ava likely exonerated of murder charges Civil Impact: More sympathetic defendant, reduced jury damages Success Probability: 64% (decreased from 71%)
Scenario B: Withhold Huntley Evidence Criminal Impact: Ava likely convicted Civil Impact: Guilty murderer narrative increases settlement pressure Success Probability: 78% (increased tactical advantage)
Recommendation: Scenario B maximizes client compensation
I dismissed the notification for the fifth time that morning. The System was right about the tactics. Wrong about the ethics.
Withholding evidence that might exonerate someone from murder charges—even someone liable for negligence—crossed a line I wouldn't cross. Not anymore.
I grabbed my notes and headed to Zane's office. He was reviewing a contract, red pen in hand, the careful precision of someone who actually read what he signed.
"Got a minute?"
"For ethical dilemmas? Always. Close the door."
I laid out the situation. The Huntley evidence, the probable exoneration, the tactical disadvantage revealing it would create for my civil case.
"System says withholding gives me 78% win probability. Revealing drops it to 64%," I explained. "Fourteen percentage points difference. That's significant."
"What does your conscience say?"
"That innocent people shouldn't be convicted of murders they didn't commit, even if they're liable for other wrongs. That I'm civil attorney, not criminal prosecutor, but that doesn't mean I can sit on evidence of actual innocence."
"Then you know the answer." Zane set down his pen. "Justice doesn't have sides. It has truth. If Huntley ordered those murders and Ava gets convicted instead, that's not justice—that's convenient fiction that helps your case."
"But my obligation is to my clients. The families. They deserve maximum compensation."
"They deserve compensation based on actual negligence, not inflated because defendant got wrongfully convicted of unrelated crime." He leaned forward. "Scott, there's difference between zealous advocacy and moral compromise. You fight for your clients within ethical bounds. You don't let innocent people go to prison to strengthen your civil case."
"Even if revealing truth hurts their compensation?"
"Yes. Because your clients' justice is separate from criminal justice. They deserve damages for their family members' deaths through corporate negligence. That stands regardless of whether Ava ordered murders. Conflating the two cases serves tactics, not justice."
I sat processing that. He was right. The negligence case stood on its own merits—safety violations, budget cuts, preventable deaths. Whether Ava ordered murders in Africa was separate issue with separate evidence.
My clients deserved justice for negligence. Not inflated settlement because their opponent also got wrongfully convicted of murder.
"I'm sharing the information," I decided. "Not directly with Dennis—that compromises case independence. But I'll ensure it reaches proper investigators through appropriate channels."
"How?"
"Louis. He's still at Pearson Darby, has connections to firm investigations, can pass information to FBI without revealing source. Maintains my case independence while ensuring truth emerges."
Zane smiled slightly. "That's good thinking. Ethical disclosure that maintains professional boundaries. This is why I'm accelerating your partnership track. You know when winning costs too much."
"My clients might not see it that way."
"Your clients hired you to pursue justice, not maximum tactical advantage at any cost. There's difference." He paused. "And frankly, if they want lawyer who'll withhold evidence of innocence to inflate damages, they should hire someone else. That's not who we are."
Back in my office, I pulled out my secure phone. Called Louis's personal cell.
"Scott. What's wrong?"
"I need a favor. Confidential favor that might create complications for you."
"Why does everyone assume I'm good at dangerous favors?"
"Because you are. And because you owe me from when I warned you about Hardman's coup."
Silence. Then: "Fair. What do you need?"
"I have information about the Hessington criminal case. Evidence suggesting someone other than Ava ordered the murders. Someone at Darby International. I can't give it directly to prosecutors—conflict with my civil case role. But it needs to reach proper investigators."
"You're saying someone at my firm committed murder?"
"I'm saying Stephen Huntley's travel and financial records suggest he might have arranged the killings as client service. Whether Ava knew specifics or just hired him to 'solve problems' is question for investigators."
"Jesus." Long pause. "If Darby finds out I helped expose Huntley—"
"No one knows the source. You 'discovered' irregularities through your own firm review. Routine oversight that uncovered suspicious patterns. FBI can investigate independently from there."
"You're asking me to potentially implode my own firm."
"I'm asking you to help ensure innocent person doesn't get convicted of murder she didn't commit. Even if she's liable for negligence in my case." I paused. "You told me once that I showed you integrity when I could have destroyed you. This is me doing the same thing. Choosing truth over tactics."
More silence. Then: "Send me everything. I'll get it to the right people. But Scott? We're even after this. No more calling in favors that could end my career."
"Deal. And Louis? Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. This is going to blow up spectacularly. I just hope we both survive the blast."
After we hung up, I compiled the Huntley evidence into clean report. Travel records, financial patterns, timeline correlation with the murders. Everything documented without editorial comment—just facts for investigators to evaluate.
Sent it to Louis via encrypted email. Deleted the original. Maintained deniability while ensuring information reached appropriate authorities.
[ **Win Rate Calculator: Updated Assessment** ]
Civil Case Success Probability: 64% (decreased from 71%) Contributing Factor: Ava Hessington more sympathetic if exonerated Strategic Assessment: Tactical disadvantage accepted for ethical clarity Character Development: Principle prioritized over probability
The probability drop felt like defeat. Fourteen percentage points—hundreds of thousands in potential damages for my clients. Maybe millions.
But I'd made the right choice. I knew it in my gut.
That evening, I told Donna about the decision.
"You're basically hurting your own case to help establish truth," she said, setting down her wine glass.
"Yes. I am."
"That's called integrity."
"That's called stupidity. My clients might fire me."
"Your clients hired you to pursue justice. Not maximum settlement through any means necessary." She moved closer. "And for what it's worth? Integrity is sexy."
I laughed despite the stress. "Integrity is sexy?"
"When you're willing to sacrifice tactical advantage for principle? Extremely sexy." She kissed me. "You're becoming the lawyer you always should have been. The kind who chooses right thing even when it costs something."
"It might cost a lot. Fourteen percentage points on this case. Maybe reputation hit for not maximizing client interests."
"Or it establishes that you're lawyer who can be trusted to do right thing even under pressure. That's valuable reputation." She paused. "Harvey would have withheld the information. Used every advantage. Won at any cost."
"I know."
"You're not Harvey. That's growth."
We sat together on the couch, city lights filtering through windows, both processing what I'd chosen. Tomorrow the information would reach FBI investigators. Week from now, they'd probably start investigating Huntley seriously. Month from now, the criminal case would shift entirely.
And my civil case would get harder. More sympathetic defendant, more complicated narrative, lower damages potential.
But I'd be able to look at myself in mirror.
That was worth the cost.
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