A Sudden Shift Across the Aisle
Miss Carter gripped both handles of her leather briefcase and stepped into the center of the courtroom floor. Her knuckles showed white against the dark leather as she leveled her gaze directly toward the elevated wooden bench.
Behind the polished mahogany desk, the judge folded her hands. The silver-haired jurist looked down over the rim of her bench and asked why those papers had been brought into the room today.
Miss Carter did not blink. She lifted her chin and replied that the contents inside proved exactly what had taken place.
Across the aisle, Mr. Hayes shifted his weight in his leather chair. His fingers went straight to his collar, twisting the knot of his necktie before his palms slammed flat against the table.
The Outburst at the Defense Table
Mr. Hayes pushed his chair back with a sharp scrape against the floorboards. He rose to his full height, his tailored suit jacket pulling tight across his chest as he thrust a finger forward.
He barked that the entire presentation was ridiculous. Veins lined the sides of his neck while spectators in the gallery leaned forward in their wooden benches.
Miss Carter turned her head just enough to meet his glare. She kept her briefcase tucked under one arm, her mouth closed, and her shoulders level.
The judge lifted the wooden gavel from its stand. Without raising her voice, she instructed Mr. Hayes to return to his seat immediately.
The man pressed his lips into a tight seam. He lowered himself slowly back into his chair, planting both palms flat upon the polished wood while his eyes remained fixed on opposing counsel.
The Device on the Table
Miss Carter reached down and set a small black digital recorder directly onto the table surface. She slid it forward several inches with her index finger.
She stated into the microphone that the audio file explained the precise reason why the original paper trail had been eliminated.
A synthesized voice clicked through the speaker, counting down backward. At the sound of the playback, Mr. Hayes’s eyelids flared wide.
His fingers twitched against his cuffs. He pulled his left sleeve back and stared directly down at the face of his wristwatch, watching the ticking second hand.
The judge tilted her head down toward the table. Her expression remained completely still as the digital timer continued its countdown through the room.
Handing Over the File
Miss Carter gathered the dark leather briefcase along with the manila folder resting beneath it. She walked the short distance toward the elevated bench.
She reached up and set the file directly onto the polished wooden ledge. Her fingers drew back, leaving the evidence resting inches from the judge’s hands.
The judge reached out with both hands, took hold of the papers, and drew the folder across the wooden railing toward her bench.
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