Chapter Unknown Source
“It looks like someone wasn’t telling the whole truth,” Reggie said as he entered Daphne’s office. “The Mera Corporation has dragged up a source, someone they think strengthens their case. We don’t know who it is or what their aim is.” He passed over his tablet with the email summoning them back to the court.
“So we’re going in blind,” Daphne said. “We’ve got two days to prepare at least.”
“I haven’t found anything yet and I don’t think that I will,” Reggie admitted.
Daphne focused on the information and let out a deep sigh. “Then I guess we’ll find out who they are in two days.”
***
“Morning.” Daphne gave James a weak smile. She didn’t like walking in unprepared and she hadn’t been sleeping well the last couple of days.
“Have fun getting through the reporters downstairs?” James smiled.
“Always a blast,” Daphne said.
“Shall we see just who this mystery source is?” James asked.
Daphne and Reggie looked at each other before they headed for the courtroom doors. James followed them in but took a seat in one of the rows to watch the proceedings.
Daphne and Reggie smiled and nodded to the judge and the other people they knew in the room, setting up at their table.
The people from the Mera Corporation arrived a few minutes later. They headed for their own table as James looked around, trying to pick out where their source might be.
The court was quickly brought into session.
“Mister Hardie, I have heard that you have a new witness you wish to put on the stand today?” the judge asked the leader of the Mera Corporation legal team.
“That is correct,” the man said.
“Very well. We will begin with their testimony and then the prosecution will be free to cross-examine. Is this fine, Miss Thomas?”
“Yes, Chief Justice,” Daphne said.
“Proceed,” the judge said.
“We would like to call Mister Aubier to the stand.”
There was a shuffling in the rows as a simple-looking man in worn jeans and a hoodie with a hat on his head and sunglasses on top of the brim moved toward the stand. He looked to be in his fifties but living in harsh conditions made him look older. He didn’t look as if he’d washed in weeks. He had to remove his hat and the sunglasses on top of it before being allowed to enter the stand.
The Mera Corporation representative stepped forward to ask his questions. “Mister Aubier, you are located in the Kashechewan community where the Mera Corporation plant is located, correct?”
“That’s right.” Aubier nodded.
“You say that you are a man of odd jobs. Would you say that is correct?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Can do a bit of everything. You have to up in the north.” Aubier nodded.
“Have you ever burned anything, Mister Aubier?” the representative asked suddenly.
“Yeah, of course. It’s the best way to get rid of garbage and crap,” Mister Aubier said.
“What kind of things do you burn?” the representative said.
“Garbage.” Aubier shrugged, as if the representative were dumb.
“Like food, paper, or electronics, empty bottles and other items?”
“Anything that I don’t need goes in the piles,” Aubier said.
“We put before the court that it was not the Mera Corporation that created these issues. It was in fact the people of the Kashechewan community who were burning their own garbage that have affected their own health and the quality of their soil, water, and air,” the representative said.
James could see that the judge frowned, looking over Mister Aubier.
“I have no further questions, Chief Justice,” Hardie headed back to his seat.
“Prosecution?” the judge asked.
Daphne stood. “Thank you, Chief Justice.” She stepped into the area in front of the judge and looked at Mister Aubier. “Mister Aubier, you have said that the increase in pollution in the air was caused by you burning items in your yard. Is that correct?” Daphne asked.
“That’s right.” Aubier nodded.
“How much would you say you burned on average?” Daphne asked.
Aubier glanced over to the Mera Corporation legal team before looking thoughtful. “Lots. I’m not sure.” Aubier shrugged.
“Okay, and you were doing this for how long?”
“Must be for five years,” Aubier said nonchalantly.
“Did you ever check what you were burning?” Daphne asked in an exasperated tone.
“No. Is there a point to this? I burned the garbage I had and some of the stuff that I found for a long time. What does it matter?” Aubier asked.
“I will have to agree with Mister Aubier. I do not see where you are going with this line of questioning,” the judge agreed.
“Sir, the reason that I have asked Mister Aubier these questions is because, if what he says is true, then the soil contamination, the declining health of the people in his community, could be because of him and his burn piles. He did not follow proper measures in removing and destroying his garbage, creating a public health disaster,” Daphne said simply.
The judge’s expression turned severe as he looked to Mister Aubier. “Mister Aubier, you will be held by the court as we look over this information and an investigation will be carried out to ascertain you are the one at fault for this issue.” The judge was already under a lot of pressure from different people. If it was all because of this man, then it would end there. If not and it was Mera Corporation pulling his strings, would he be willing to serve the prison time for them?
James sat back in his seat, seeing this all frowning and watching everything happening in court.
“What are you doing?” Aubier said as two officers moved to secure him.
“You are under arrest by your own admission for putting the public’s health under threat and failing to abide by federal and provincial laws on destroying hazardous materials. More charges might be added at a later date,” the officer said as Aubier looked to the Mera Corporation.
“You didn’t say anything like this would happen!”
The legal team looked pained at his words and they only increased in their whispered conversations.
“Taking into account Mister Aubier’s admission, we will return to court in one week to check over the different information provided.” The judge stood up. The court stood with him.
James was confused but he didn’t say anything as the legal team from the Mera Corporation stared daggers at Daphne and Reggie.
James stood out of the row and waited for them. “So—what just happened?” James asked, confused by it all.
“Well, it looks like our case is no longer against the Mera Corporation, but against Mister Aubier,” Reggie said in an innocent voice.
Daphne sent him a look before guiding James away to a discreet corner. “With Mister Aubier’s admission, the court will start to check him over, his background and history to see what extent of the damage he has caused and bring up any further charges. If he was told by the Mera Corporation to say certain things or that they said they would look after something or pay him. What do you think—will he be willing to take the payout and serve the jail time?”
“Not likely,” James said, seeing it work out in his mind. “If he says that the Mera Corporation paid him, or that they put him up to it, then it comes right back on them and they’re going to be in a weaker position and prove that they were tampering. Right?”
“Yes, but the other side is that it might be actually the people in the community who have brought on these health risks,” Daphne said.
James paused, his excitement dying.
“He probably wasn’t the only person who was burning his garbage. Now I need to talk to some experts and see if I can get information if the amount that they are burning up there and what they’re burning will have the effects that we’re seeing in the Kashechewan community. If that is the case, then we withdraw our charges or else it could come back on the people in the community,” Daphne said.
“All right, we need to know as fast as possible,” James said.
He couldn’t help but frown. He knew that he didn’t know the conditions in the Kashechewan community, what they had to deal with every day; still, he couldn’t help but lament over how they were affecting the environment with their practices. If they were the ones who had poisoned the land, water, and air, then it was on them; if it was the Mera Corporation, then they would fight to the end.
He was disappointed in them, but he knew that it might be something that they needed to do up in the north. All they could do was wait on the results.
“See you tomorrow night,” Daphne whispered in his ear and then headed off, picking up Reggie and walking away.