Cold Case Chronicles: Beneath the Surface

Chapter 4

The next morning, Jack and Sarah sat at a conference table in the DA's office, waiting for Amanda and their first witness of the day. The morning sun cast long shadows across the table, and Jack noted the tension in the room. They had worked tirelessly to get this far, but now they were moving from theory to testimony—a critical step toward building their case against Kane.

Amanda entered, followed closely by Mike Johnson, the former business owner who had agreed to testify. He looked weary, worn down by years of struggle, but there was a spark in his eyes that spoke of determination. This was a man who had lost almost everything to Kane's influence, and now he was here to reclaim some semblance of justice.

Jack rose to shake his hand. "Thanks for coming in, Mike. We appreciate you being willing to speak out."

Mike nodded, settling into a chair. "I've been waiting a long time for someone to listen. Kane's people think they can just bulldoze over anyone who doesn't fit into his plans, but it's time someone stood up to him."

Sarah took a seat across from Mike, her tone respectful. "We're here to listen, Mike. Whatever you're willing to share, we'll use to make sure the truth gets out."

He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "I ran a small hardware store downtown for twenty-five years. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was my life's work. I was part of the community, had regular customers—until Kane started eyeing the area for his 'revitalization project.' He bought up properties left and right, and soon enough, my rent skyrocketed. Within a year, I couldn't afford to keep the doors open."

Jack leaned forward, listening intently. "And you're certain this was directly influenced by Kane?"

Mike nodded emphatically. "Absolutely. My landlord mentioned Kane's name in every negotiation, talking about the 'value' of the property and how 'connected' Kane was. But the kicker was when I found out the building was actually owned by one of Kane's shell companies. He bought it through Lakeside Holdings, raised the rent on all the tenants, and eventually forced us all out."

Sarah took notes, her brow furrowed as she absorbed the details. "Did you notice any specific changes after the revitalization? Did it impact other businesses around you?"

Mike's mouth tightened, frustration evident in his expression. "It didn't 'revitalize' anything. He brought in a luxury development, priced everyone out, and put up condos that most of us couldn't even dream of affording. Longtime businesses—ones that had been there for generations—had to close their doors. And the worst part is, the people buying these condos? They don't live there. They're investments for people with more money than they know what to do with. Kane doesn't care about this city; he cares about profit."

Jack exchanged a glance with Sarah. Mike's testimony was damning, but they needed more to cement the pattern of exploitation Kane had used to establish his empire. Mike's story was important, but it needed corroboration if they wanted to use it as evidence in court.

"Mike, this is exactly the kind of information we need," Jack said, his voice steady. "Do you know anyone else who went through something similar? Other business owners, or residents forced out of their homes?"

Mike nodded. "There's a whole list of people. A few of them were good friends of mine. There's Helen—she ran a bookstore right next to my shop. She'd been there almost as long as I was. And then there's Tom... he owned the diner on Fourth Street. They both lost their businesses when Kane's people started showing up, pushing everyone out."

Sarah made a note to contact Helen and Tom, her gaze meeting Jack's. "This could be what we need to establish a pattern. If we can show that Kane's shell companies systematically forced people out, we'll have a stronger case for financial manipulation and corruption."