Same phrases.
Same times.
Same descriptions.
Malcolm leaned forward.
"Ms. Sloan."
"Yes, Your Honor?"
"Who authored these statements?"
Rebecca looked at the documents.
"Different officers."
"All of them?"
"Yes."
Malcolm pointed.
"They contain identical grammatical errors."
The courtroom murmured.
Bell stood.
"That is irrelevant."
Malcolm looked at him.
"It may be."
He paused.
"Or it may be evidence that the statements were copied."
Bell sat slowly.
Malcolm turned toward the evidence screen.
"Proceed."
The hearing lasted four hours.
At 1:17 p.m., Malcolm recessed court.
He returned to his chambers.
Rebecca followed.
She closed the door.
"That wasn't normal."
"What wasn't?"
"Mercer confronting you this morning."
Malcolm removed his robe.
"No."
"You think he knew?"
"I think someone wanted him to frighten me."
Rebecca looked worried.
"Why?"
"Because today wasn't about evidence."
She frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Malcolm opened his folio.
Inside was a photocopy of an internal police memo.
One line was highlighted.
Judicial pressure strategy approved.
Rebecca stared.
"Where did you get this?"
"Anonymous envelope."
"When?"
"Yesterday."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I don't know whether I trust everyone in this building."
Rebecca's face tightened.
"You don't trust me?"
"I didn't say that."
"Then who?"
Malcolm looked toward the window.
"The person who wrote this knows our schedule."
Rebecca became silent.
Then Malcolm added:
"And they knew Mercer would confront me at 8:42."
Rebecca slowly sat.
"That means someone inside the courthouse is helping them."
Malcolm nodded.
"That's what I think."
Outside, thunder rolled over Richmond County.
Rain began tapping against the tall windows.
Rebecca looked at the evidence.
"What do we do?"
Malcolm put his robe back on.
"We keep going."
"Even if they're watching?"
"Especially if they're watching."
The First Witness
Samuel Ortiz's widow testified on the fourth day.
Her name was Maria Ortiz.
She was forty-one.
She wore a simple gray dress and held her hands tightly together as she entered the witness box.
Rebecca approached.
"Mrs. Ortiz, when did you last speak with your husband?"
"Three nights before he died."
"What did he tell you?"
Bell objected.
"Hearsay."
Malcolm considered it.
"Sustained."
Rebecca changed direction.
"How did he seem?"
"Afraid."
"Did he tell you why?"
Bell objected again.
Malcolm allowed the question.
"Yes."
Maria swallowed.
"He said he'd done something wrong."
"What?"
"He said he'd given documents to investigators."
The courtroom shifted.
Rebecca continued.
"What documents?"
Maria looked at Malcolm.
Then at the defense table.
"Records."
"What kind?"
"Arrest records. Seizure records. Things he said his supervisors told him to change."
Bell stood.
"Objection."
"Overruled."
Maria's voice trembled.
"He said officers were being told to write reports before arrests happened."
A murmur spread through the gallery.
Malcolm struck his gavel.
"Order."
Maria continued.
"He said they had lists."
"What lists?"
"People they wanted."
Rebecca leaned closer.
"Did your husband tell you who created the lists?"
Maria nodded.
"He said Daniel Mercer was one of the people responsible."
Mercer sat in the second row behind the defense table.
His face was expressionless.
Malcolm watched him.
Then noticed something else.
Mercer wasn't looking at Maria.
He was looking at the courthouse clock.
Why?
Malcolm followed his gaze.
10:14.
Nothing unusual.
Then he saw a man enter the courtroom.
Gray suit.
Blue tie.
Carrying a briefcase.
Malcolm recognized him.
Chief Justice Harold Whitmore.
The administrative head of the circuit.
Whitmore nodded politely.
Malcolm returned the gesture.
But his instincts tightened.
Whitmore had no reason to attend this hearing.
He sat in the back.
The rest of Maria's testimony continued.
Rebecca asked one final question.
"Mrs. Ortiz, did your husband ever say he was going to report Officer Mercer directly?"
Maria nodded.
"Yes."
"When?"
"The night before he died."
"Did he make that report?"
Maria looked down.
"He tried."
"To whom?"
"The chief."
Whitmore shifted in his chair.
Rebecca saw it.
So did Malcolm.
"Did your husband tell you what happened?"
Maria nodded.
"He said the chief told him to stop."
The courtroom became silent.
Rebecca turned toward Whitmore.
Bell immediately objected.
"Your Honor, counsel is attempting to introduce an accusation against a person who is not a party."
Malcolm sustained.
But his mind was already moving.
After court adjourned, he returned to chambers.
Whitmore followed.
"Judge Hayes."
"Chief Justice."
Whitmore closed the door.
"That witness was confused."
"Possibly."
"She made serious allegations."
"Yes."
"Against officers who aren't even defendants in this phase."
Malcolm looked at him.
"That's why I'm careful."
Whitmore smiled.
"You have a reputation for being aggressive."
"I prefer thorough."
"Your appointment was controversial."
"I know."
"You don't want to destroy your career over this."
Malcolm's eyes hardened.