6. Erik #2
Rowan works through the rest. She used her sleeve to free the phone, wrapped it in a scarf, carried it into the library, and identified the case from three family-specific marks.
She powered it on, put it into airplane mode, accessed it with Jeremy's code, then reviewed the visible contents before connecting it by cable to Makari's isolated laptop.
The copy finished before the physical phone was sealed.
Evelyn looks toward Makari, who's remained near the wall. "Did you log the copy?"
Makari takes a folder from beneath his arm. "The log has the time, device identifier, cable, machine identifier, hash value, witnesses, and every access after recovery."
Rowan looks at him. "You almost said seizure."
"I corrected myself."
"You learn quickly."
Makari offers the folder to Evelyn instead of answering.
Evelyn reads the first page. "This helps.
It doesn't undo Rowan's removal of the phone, but it preserves what happened afterward.
" She turns to Rowan. "You need your own written chain in your own words.
Preserve the original photographs with metadata intact.
Nobody edits, crops, or substitutes screenshots for those files.
The physical phone stays sealed unless counsel documents a reason to access it again. "
Rowan accepts the blank form Evelyn slides across the desk. "You had a chain-of-custody form ready."
"I teach evidence." Evelyn picks up her pen again. "Students also make worse decisions when they're scared that admitting the first one will end their careers."
Rowan begins writing and stops only to check times against her phone. Evelyn asks where the original photographs are stored, who has access to the clean laptop, whether the copy has been duplicated, and where the sealed device will remain.
"Danilov security has the physical phone at the estate." Rowan writes the location on the form. "My photographs are on my phone. Makari has the forensic copy on an isolated machine."
Evelyn adds each location to her own notes. "Nobody moves any of it without logging the change."
Rowan looks at me. "That includes him."
Evelyn marks the last location. "Especially him."
The advice is good enough that I don't object to the emphasis.
I open the board portal. "That brings us to the next issue."
Richard shifts forward. "Erik, the board hasn't finished discussing your proposal."
"They can discuss it after I file it." I turn the laptop so Rowan can read the form already completed.
My name sits at the top under conflict disclosure.
"I have authority over athletics, compliance, finance, facilities, and campus safety.
I don't have authority over law-school grades, admissions, or academic discipline. "
I scroll to the next section. "Effective now, I'm recused from every university matter involving Rowan Bennett personally, Calista Bennett's scholarship, and the spirit program.
Independent compliance gets the scholarship and athletics matters.
Law-school decisions stay where they already belong.
Anything that overlaps goes to outside counsel. "
Richard looks from the form to me. "The board hasn't approved that language."
"I'm disclosing the conflict. I don't need permission to remove myself from decisions I shouldn't make."
I sign electronically and submit it. The confirmation number appears before Richard can object.
Rowan reads the screen. "You did that because of last night."
"I did it because the conflict exists."
She slides the chain-of-custody form into her folder. "That was almost human."
Peter moves in his chair while Liya lowers her attention to the page in front of her. I close the laptop. "You don't owe me thanks."
"I wasn't offering any."
A knock interrupts Richard before he can return to athletics.
Vanessa Reed opens the door after he answers and stops when she sees the room.
"Dean Danilov, I was told Ms. Bennett was here.
Coach wants a captain available for a call about conditioning access.
Facilities locked us out of the auxiliary gym. "
Rowan gets to her feet. "I can take the call outside."
Richard reaches for the reopening schedule. "This is exactly why we need athletics operating again."
I turn the schedule facedown. "Facilities can restore conditioning access after compliance confirms the room isn't attached to a frozen account."
Vanessa looks between Rowan and me. "How long will that take?"
"Compliance will answer you."
Rowan gives me a pointed look at the title I still hold, then follows Vanessa into the corridor.
The meeting should end there. Richard has trustees waiting, Evelyn wants copies of the preservation documents, and Peter wants to argue about Rowan after she's gone. I step into the corridor instead.
Tyler Garcia is leaning against the wall outside the conference room in a Blackthorne football jacket. He straightens when Rowan comes out. "Vanessa said you were meeting with Danilov. Do you know when football gets cleared?"
Rowan adjusts the folder under her arm. "No. I don't run athletics."
"I know." Tyler pushes away from the wall. "I was looking for an excuse to ask whether you ever reconsidered dinner."
Vanessa heads toward the stairs without trying to hide her interest.
Rowan stays where she is. "You chose a homicide investigation as your second attempt."
"I chose the hallway." Tyler takes one step closer. "The timing is bad everywhere."
He reaches toward the folder under her arm, apparently intending to take it.
I stop beside the doorway. "Mr. Garcia, questions about football go through athletics compliance."
Tyler looks at me, then back at Rowan. "I wasn't asking about football anymore."
"I noticed."
Rowan turns toward me. "You filed that recusal six minutes ago."
I keep my place beside the doorway. "I remember."
"Then why are you using your title to end a conversation that has nothing to do with university business?" She shifts the folder higher against her side. "That's an abuse of the authority you just recused yourself from."
Tyler has enough sense to move back.
I look at Rowan. She's right, which doesn't make Tyler less irritating. "He started with the football suspension."
"He stopped."
I don't argue with the obvious. "Yes."
Rowan waits.
I look at Tyler. "Ms. Bennett is correct. My involvement ends with the athletics question."
Tyler straightens his jacket. "Good to know."
Rowan gives me a look that tells me correction doesn't equal forgiveness.
Makari appears at the far end of the corridor before Tyler can attempt dinner a third time. He walks toward us with his phone already in his hand and stops beside Rowan when the screen lights again.
He turns the phone toward me.
The photograph was taken from inside a parked car at the edge of the quad. Rahil Antonov stands across from Fenwick Hall with a paper coffee cup in one hand. He isn't drinking it.
He's looking directly at the camera.