Robert shifted. “I’d need to consult engineering.”
“Please do. Before the end of today.”
Vanessa straightened her shoulders. “Those reports exist to protect families. We cannot pretend there are no threats simply because the numbers are uncomfortable.”
“No one is asking you to pretend there are no threats,” Marcus said. “I’m asking you to explain why an unfamiliar person’s presence becomes a proxy for wrongdoing. An ambulance attendant visiting a patient, a contractor replacing a roof, a son visiting his mother, or a homeowner moving in can all look unusual to a database. That tells you nothing about criminal intent.”
Arthur gave a dismissive sound. “The technology helps officers make judgment calls. They remain responsible for their actions.”
“Then we need to examine the judgments it encourages,” Marcus replied. “The platform assigns higher confidence to complaints from verified residents. It raises the priority of repeated reports, even when earlier complaints were unsupported. It sends those scores to officers before they have independently checked the basic facts. That is not neutral simply because nobody entered a race field.”
Nora displayed a summary of individual complaints obtained during due diligence. Maria Santos, a licensed home health aide, had been questioned outside a client’s home after several visits were reported as anomalous. David Jackson, a contractor with scheduled work in another neighborhood, had been stopped while unloading a replacement water heater. An elderly couple’s adult son had been flagged when he came from out of state to stay with them after surgery. The names and details had been verified and shared only where permission allowed. Marcus read each one carefully.
“These are human beings,” he said. “They lost time, dignity, and in some cases income because a system suggested suspicion before anyone asked an ordinary question. I want an independent audit of the design, training data, complaint procedures, and the use of alerts by every participating department.”
Eleanor folded her hands. “An audit that broad could place our remaining contracts at risk.”
“The contracts are already at risk if the product causes harm. Concealing that risk makes it worse.”
David cleared his throat. “There’s also a financial issue. Several lawsuits allege that employees were told to minimize internal bias testing. If those claims prove correct, we could face contractual penalties beyond our existing reserves.”
Vanessa turned toward him. “Why are you discussing unproven allegations as though they’re established?”
“Because that is the point of an investigation,” Marcus said. “To determine what is true.”
He did not raise his voice. Vanessa wished he would. If he shouted, she might be able to portray him as an angry man abusing his new position. Instead he asked precise questions, requested specific records, and gave employees time to answer. The room increasingly responded to him as its legitimate controlling investor. Every respectful answer felt to Vanessa like a personal betrayal.