She requested a private meeting with Rebecca.
Then she asked for Malcolm.
Rebecca brought her into chambers.
Elena looked terrified.
“I want to tell the truth.”
Malcolm gestured toward the chair.
“Then tell it.”
She sat.
“I saw them plant evidence.”
Malcolm remained silent.
“Who?”
“Mercer.”
“And Dunning?”
“Yes.”
“What did they plant?”
“A handgun.”
“Where?”
“In an apartment.”
“When?”
“Eight months ago.”
“Why?”
“The man they arrested had no gun.”
Rebecca leaned forward.
“How do you know?”
“Because I was there.”
Elena pulled a flash drive from her coat.
“I copied something before they deleted it.”
Rebecca stared at the drive.
“What is it?”
“Body-camera footage.”
Malcolm looked at her.
“Whose?”
“Mine.”
Silence.
“Why didn't you report this?”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was afraid.”
Malcolm nodded.
“Of Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He told me something.”
“What?”
Elena swallowed.
“He said if I talked, nobody would believe me.”
She looked directly at Malcolm.
“He said the courthouse belonged to them too.”
Malcolm's face remained calm.
But inside, anger moved through him.
Not because the statement was frightening.
Because it was familiar.
He had heard variations of it before.
People who believed institutions belonged to whoever controlled them.
People who mistook fear for authority.
Malcolm took the flash drive.
“Thank you.”
Elena stood.
“Am I safe?”
Malcolm looked at her.
“You did the right thing.”
“That wasn't my question.”
He paused.
“No.”
Elena's face fell.
“But we will do everything within the law to protect you.”
She nodded.
Before leaving, she turned.
“Judge?”
“Yes?”
“They're going to come after you.”
Malcolm looked at her.
“I know.”
The next hearing was scheduled for Monday morning.
By then, newspapers had begun reporting on the case.
Public pressure increased.
So did political pressure.
The police union issued statements.
City officials demanded transparency.
Defense attorneys accused prosecutors of creating a media circus.
And anonymous letters began arriving at Malcolm's chambers.
The first contained a photograph of his home.
The second contained a photograph of his mother leaving a grocery store.
The third contained only five words:
You cannot protect everyone.
Malcolm showed them to Rebecca.
She immediately requested additional security.
But Malcolm refused personal protection inside the courthouse.
“I don't want the courtroom militarized.”
Rebecca frowned.
“This isn't about appearances.”
“I know.”
“This is about survival.”
Malcolm looked at her.
“Then let's survive by doing our jobs.”
Monday morning arrived.
The courthouse was packed.
At 9:20, Malcolm entered his chambers.
His folio was on the desk.
He had not left it there.
He opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
Withdraw from the case.
Malcolm stared at it.
Then smiled.
Not because it was funny.
Because he finally understood.
They were desperate.
And desperate people made mistakes.
He walked into Courtroom Three.
The hearing began.
Rebecca called Elena Brooks to testify.
She described the evidence planting.
She identified Mercer.