Page 77 of Dead Air
The Dead Air website displayed a simple countdown timer against a black background. Three minutes and forty-seven seconds remaining until broadcast. No additional information provided context for the unexpected resurrection.
"Should we call Lawson?" Fiona asked, already preparing recording equipment to capture whatever might emerge.
"No time." Claire gestured toward the timer. "And we don't know if her position is secure. Better to record everything and analyze it before potentially compromising her location."
Both women fell silent as the countdown approached zero.
chapter
twenty-eight
Rain hammered against the windshield.Lawson navigated the back roads toward Savannah, Richardson's evidence secured in a waterproof case beside her. Their parting had been oddly formal—professional respect not fully extinguished by years of suspicion. He'd remained at the cabin to organize additional materials while she transported the most critical evidence to Claire for safekeeping.
Her phone chimed with an unfamiliar notification tone. The sound cut through the steady drum of rain, drawing her attention to the passenger seat where the device rested. The Dead Air podcast icon flashed on the screen. Live broadcast notification.
Lawson pulled onto the shoulder, positioning the car beneath a highway overpass for better protection from the downpour. Engine idling, she grabbed the phone with sudden urgency. How could the podcast be broadcasting again? Blackwell remained missing, presumably in Thomas Hutchinson's custody across international borders.
She tapped the notification. The Dead Air website loaded, audio visualization waves pulsing with an active broadcastalready in progress. Not Blackwell's voice but a familiar male tone emerged from the tiny speaker.
"—repeat, this is Dylan Everett, audio engineer and producer for Dead Air podcast." The young man's voice carried none of the shock-numbed quality from the parking garage crime scene. Instead, he spoke with determined clarity. "Leah Blackwell suspected she was being watched for weeks before her abduction. She created contingency protocols in case something happened to her."
Lawson increased the volume, leaning closer to capture every word through the competing sounds of rain and distant traffic.
"This automated system begins releasing files twenty-four hours after Leah fails to enter her security code." Dylan continued explaining. "I've verified the content authenticity through digital signatures embedded in the files. What you're about to hear comes directly from Leah's secured cloud storage, untouched since her disappearance."
A brief silence, followed by an electronic tone. Dylan's voice returned with procedural instructions.
"New files will publish hourly on this server. Each contains evidence Leah compiled during her investigation into Monica Landry's murder. Rather than broadcasting these files sequentially, we're making them available for immediate download to prevent potential interference with the distribution system."
Lawson opened the podcast's website on her phone browser. A file repository appeared beneath the live broadcast window, with the first file already available for download. It bore a simple label: Hutchinson_Judge_Recording.mp3.
She downloaded it while Dylan continued his introduction.
"Leah created this dead man's switch because she understood the risks of her investigation. The evidence she uncovered revealed corruption extending through Savannah'sentire justice system. If you're listening to this, it means those corrupted elements have taken action against her."
The first downloaded file completed. Lawson opened it while keeping the live broadcast running in the background. Thomas Hutchinson's distinctive voice emerged through her phone speaker.
"Judge, I appreciate your careful consideration of our motion to suppress." His professional tone carried the subtle undercurrent of a familiar relationship. "The evidence chain procedural issues you identified saved considerable trial preparation resources."
A female voice responded with equal professional polish. "The court simply applies appropriate procedural standards, Mr. Hutchinson. When evidence collection fails to meet those standards, the law requires appropriate remedy."
"Your judicial wisdom serves justice admirably." Hutchinson's voice carried knowing weight. "The foundation's annual contribution will reflect our continued appreciation for the court's attention to procedural details."
The recording ended. Clear evidence of inappropriate relationship between defense attorney and judge. Subtle corruption cloaked in professional courtesy language. Exactly the sort of exchange that appeared innocent in isolation but damning within a larger pattern.
Dylan's voice returned on the live broadcast. "Leah documented dozens of similar conversations. Evidence of systematic case manipulation through judicial influence. Each hourly file release will provide additional documentation of the corruption network Monica Landry discovered before her murder."
The broadcast continued with technical details about file authentication methods. Lawson returned to therepository page, discovering a second file already available: Hutchinson_Meeting_Photos.zip.
She downloaded and opened it. The compressed folder contained high-resolution surveillance photographs. Thomas Hutchinson meeting various Savannah officials in locations distant from public view. Parking garages. Private dining rooms. Boat docks. Each image time-stamped and geotagged with precise location data.
The most recent photos showed Thomas Hutchinson with Chief Wallace three days before Blackwell's abduction. Both men examined documents in Wallace's personal vehicle parked behind a restaurant closed for renovation, a meeting location selected for privacy rather than convenience.
Dylan's voice continued providing context for the releases. "Leah catalogued these connections for months. Built evidence chains documenting how Thomas Hutchinson's influence network operated across departments. The hourly releases will continue until all files have been distributed."
Lawson scrolled through additional photographs. Hutchinson with a district attorney at a hunting cabin registered to neither man. Hutchinson with banking executives whose institutions appeared in Monica's financial investigation notes.
The corruption network visualized through methodical surveillance documentation. Exactly the evidence Monica had begun assembling before her murder. Connections that had threatened Thomas Hutchinson's entire operation.
