Somewhere in the courthouse, Clara Bennett—the person Nathan claimed he had been looking for—might hold information that could clarify how the encounter began.
Evelyn did not know whether the officer had acted on a careless assumption, misunderstood a message, or ignored instructions that should have stopped him before he approached her.
She would not guess.
She would wait for the evidence.
Outside the room, Arthur's voice carried through the hallway.
ARTHUR BENNETT: “I need the original communication, not a summary. Find out who sent it and who received it.”
A second voice answered, too quietly for Evelyn to make out the words.
Then Arthur spoke again.
ARTHUR BENNETT: “And nobody overwrites the camera footage. Not one minute.”
Evelyn closed her eyes for a moment, trying to steady her breathing.
She knew that the title “Your Honor” had changed the way people looked at the incident. The moment Arthur recognized her, the officer's confidence had collapsed, the crowd had grown more vocal, and the courthouse staff had moved quickly to secure the scene.
But she could not allow the investigation to become a question of whether a judge deserved protection more than anyone else.
The woman Nathan believed he was looking for also deserved to be treated lawfully. So did every person who entered the courthouse without knowing what awaited them.
That principle had to remain intact, especially now.
A knock sounded at the consultation-room door.
Arthur appeared in the doorway, his expression serious.
ARTHUR BENNETT: “Your Honor, Chief Judge Margaret Whitcomb is here.”
Evelyn opened her eyes.
EVELYN WHITMORE: “Send her in.”
Arthur stepped aside.
Margaret Whitcomb entered, carrying a thin folder and wearing the controlled expression of someone who had already been told enough to understand the gravity of the situation.
She stopped when she saw the small bloodstain near Evelyn's hairline.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “Evelyn, what happened?”
Evelyn looked at her for a moment before answering.
EVELYN WHITMORE: “An officer approached me without properly identifying himself or explaining why he wanted to detain me. I asked him to clarify. He grabbed me, shoved me to the floor, and continued using force while I was down.”
Margaret's expression tightened.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “Has he been removed from the corridor?”
EVELYN WHITMORE: “He's in a security office. Witness statements are being collected, and Arthur is making sure the footage is preserved.”
Margaret pulled a chair closer but did not sit immediately.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “I've requested the recordings and notified the court administrator. An independent review will be necessary.”
Evelyn nodded.
EVELYN WHITMORE: “Good. I also want the message he relied on preserved in its original form.”
Margaret opened her folder.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “That's why I came to speak with you. The security office has located the initial notification, but there appears to be a discrepancy between the message and the court's scheduling record.”
Evelyn straightened slightly despite the pain.
EVELYN WHITMORE: “What kind of discrepancy?”
Margaret glanced at the document in her hand.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “The woman he was supposedly searching for may already have checked in at the clerk's desk before he approached you.”
For several seconds, Evelyn said nothing.
The medical responder continued preparing supplies beside the table, but Evelyn's attention had shifted entirely to Margaret.
If Clara Bennett had already checked in, then Nathan's assumption had been wrong before the confrontation began.
And if the message had instructed him to verify the information, the question would become more serious still.
EVELYN WHITMORE: “Has anyone confirmed whether there was a valid order authorizing him to detain her?”
Margaret lowered the document.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “Not yet. The clerk is checking the docket now.”
Evelyn looked toward the open doorway, where Arthur was speaking with a security officer.
EVELYN WHITMORE: “Then we need the original message, the court record, and the full recording before anyone draws a conclusion.”
Margaret nodded, but the concern on her face had deepened.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “There is one more thing you should know.”
Evelyn turned back to her.
EVELYN WHITMORE: “What is it?”
Margaret hesitated before answering.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “Officer Cole has already submitted an initial written account of the incident.”
Evelyn waited.
CHIEF JUDGE MARGARET WHITCOMB: “And his account describes the confrontation very differently from the witnesses we've spoken to so far.”