Lowell straightened his papers. “On the night of the fire,” he began, “the orphanage vault contained fifty thousand dollars in fundraiser cash. By morning, it was gone. The fire destroyed the west wing and, with it, the institution’s reputation.”
“The defendant’s keycard shows entry at nine forty-three p.m.,” Lowell continued, pacing slowly before the bench. “No exit recorded. Minutes later, the fire began in the adjacent wing. He had access, motive, and time.”