Senior Examiner Varo Nenn arrived at the cooperage ten minutes later. That brought his magnifying lens and his chemical test chemical bottles. He sat at the pine table under the animal fat lanterns, examining the red ink stone carving on Roll Fourteen-A.
‘The hand is authentic,’ Varo Nenn declared, his voice trembling with deep sorrow. ‘I have read Davin Sorell’s writing for thirty years. The flourish on the capital letters, the deep bite of the quill into the sheepskin, and the signet impression in red sealing wax—it’s his personal hand. He signed this order on the third day of April, three years ago, without the concurrence of the Senior Chapter.’
Inspector Korr Var leaned over the parchment, his jaw set like an iron vise. ‘In town law, a secret alteration of a public safety threshold that results in property damage or loss of life is classified as aggravated treason against the city charter. Sorell is no longer merely an unfit engineer, Councilor Vesk. He is a criminal awaiting trial.’
Councilor Vesk looked at the red ink, her face cold as a gravestone. ‘This document doesn’t leave this table except under armed escort. Varo, take two wax impressions of that signed name. Pella, prepare a clean technical summary. We will take this before the full Senate at dawn.’
