Oakridge Freight Services issued a statement denying that senior management had knowingly placed workers in danger.
The company described the new evidence as incomplete and warned against drawing conclusions from documents more than a decade old.
Richard Cole appeared at a press conference outside corporate headquarters.
He wore a navy suit and spoke with the polished confidence of a man accustomed to controlling difficult conversations.
"Our company has always prioritized employee safety," he declared. "We intend to cooperate with appropriate authorities."
A reporter asked about the rejected repair request.
Cole replied that operational decisions were made by qualified supervisors.
Another asked why the original incident report listed David Bennett as the only worker in the maintenance area.
Cole said he couldn't comment on an ongoing investigation.
The statement frustrated Angela.
She remembered attending David's funeral with Marcus asleep against her shoulder.
Cole had stood near the casket, offering condolences and promising that the company would support her family.
A month later, the final report blamed David.
Angela requested a meeting.
Cole's office refused.
She sent letters.
His attorneys responded with carefully worded explanations.
Eventually, the company stopped answering altogether.
Now Cole was on television talking about cooperation.
Marcus watched part of the press conference with his mother.
"Mom, why does he keep saying Dad's name like that?"
Angela looked at the screen.
"What do you mean?"
"Like Dad was just somebody who worked there."
She turned off the television.
"Sometimes people forget that the names in reports belong to real families."
Marcus looked down.
"He wasn't just an employee."
"No, baby."
"He was my dad."
Angela embraced him.
The investigation continued.
Independent specialists reviewed the warehouse's electrical system, historical maintenance records, and the circumstances surrounding the fire.
Their preliminary findings suggested that multiple safety failures contributed to the disaster.
The faulty ventilation equipment was one factor.
Improper storage practices and delayed repairs were others.
The evidence increasingly contradicted the company's conclusion that David alone caused the incident.
But determining personal responsibility remained complicated.
Some executives had died.
Others had retired.
Several records were missing.
Rebecca cautioned Angela that the final findings might not answer every question.
"I don't need every person punished," Angela replied. "I need my husband's name cleared."
Rebecca nodded.
"Then we focus on what the evidence proves."
One evening, Nathan Harris visited their house.
He brought an old basketball tucked beneath his arm.
Marcus looked confused.
"What's that for?"
Harris smiled.
"Your dad and I used to play every Saturday."
He handed Marcus the ball.
"Thought you might want to learn his favorite move."
For the first time, Marcus spent an evening hearing stories about his father that had nothing to do with the fire.
And those stories changed something inside him.