Reed opened the container.
Inside was a small encrypted storage device.
The judge stared at it.
"Is this the original?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"Because I sealed it myself."
The judge looked at the seal.
It appeared intact.
But something bothered him.
"Turn it over."
Reed did.
The judge saw a tiny mark near the bottom.
A scratch.
"What's that?"
Reed frowned.
"I don't know."
"Was it there before?"
"I don't remember."
The judge looked at the device again.
Then at Reed.
"Who transported this?"
"Federal evidence courier."
"Which company?"
"Northstar Secure Logistics."
The judge froze.
"Northstar?"
"Yes."
"Are they still under contract?"
"Yes."
The judge's expression changed.
"Who owns them?"
Reed looked confused.
"I don't know."
The judge did.
Northstar Secure Logistics had appeared in the Calder case.
Not as a defendant.
As a contractor.
A company that had handled sensitive government materials.
The same company Calder was accused of providing information to.
The judge looked at Emily.
"Get me the procurement records for Northstar."
She nodded.
"All of them."
The judge closed the container.
"Something is wrong."
Reed looked at him.
"Your Honor?"
"Don't tell anyone we found this."
Reed nodded.
The judge turned toward the window.
Outside, reporters were still gathered.
Some were waiting for an official statement about the slap.
They had no idea that inside the courthouse, the judge was uncovering something far more serious.
The story on television was still about an officer assaulting a Black judge.
But the judge was beginning to understand that the assault might have been carefully timed.
The public humiliation had been a distraction.
The real target was the courtroom.
The real objective was Exhibit B.
And whoever wanted it was prepared to manipulate police officers, security systems, court schedules, and evidence records to get near it.
At 1:14 p.m., the judge received a message.
ONE MORE WARNING.
DON'T OPEN THE DRIVE.
He stared at the screen.
Then he smiled faintly.
Not because it was funny.
Because the message had answered his question.
Someone knew exactly what he was doing.
He turned toward Emily.
"Get the forensic team."
She looked at him.
"To examine the drive?"
"Yes."
"Shouldn't we wait for the FBI?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don't know who else has access to the FBI."
Emily stared at him.
The judge's voice was quiet.
"From this point forward, assume every system is compromised."
She nodded.
Then he added:
"And assume whoever did this believes we are already too late."
He looked at the sealed container.
"They're wrong."
The door opened.
The marshal stepped inside.
"Your Honor."
"Yes?"
"We found the gray-suited man."
The judge stood.
"Where?"
"At a hotel two blocks away."
"Alive?"
"Yes."
"Did he resist?"
"No."
"Who is he?"
The marshal handed him a file.
The judge opened it.
The photograph inside was the same man from the courthouse camera.
Name:
Daniel Mercer.
Age forty-six.
Occupation:
Federal security consultant.
The judge stared at the page.
"Mercer."
"Yes."
"Any relation to David Mercer?"
The marshal paused.
"That's the interesting part."
The judge looked up.
"They're brothers."
Silence.
The judge closed the file.
"Bring Daniel Mercer in."
"He's already here."
The door opened again.
Two marshals escorted the man into the room.
Daniel Mercer looked completely calm.
He sat down.
The judge watched him.
"You know who I am."
Mercer smiled.
"Yes."
"Then why did you come to my courthouse this morning?"
Mercer leaned back.
"I was told to."
"By whom?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because if I do, someone dies."
The judge stared at him.
Mercer continued.
"You think this morning was about stopping you."
The judge said nothing.
"It wasn't."
"What was it about?"
Mercer looked directly into his eyes.
"We needed to know whether you still had the original."
The judge's face remained still.
"The original what?"
Mercer smiled.
"Exhibit B."
The room went silent.
Mercer knew.
He knew about the sealed exhibit.
He knew where it was.
And he knew the judge had it.
The judge leaned forward.
"Who sent you?"
Mercer didn't answer.
The judge repeated the question.
"Who sent you?"
Mercer looked toward the security camera.
Then back at the judge.
"Your Honor, if you're asking who wants Exhibit B, the answer is not one person."
He paused.
"It's an organization."
The judge's eyes narrowed.
"What organization?"
Mercer leaned forward.
"One that has people inside the courthouse."
The judge looked at him.
"Names."
Mercer shook his head.
"You won't believe me."
"Try."
Mercer took a breath.
Then he said:
"Start with the officer who slapped you."
The judge's expression changed.
"Officer Dawson?"
Mercer nodded.
"She doesn't know."
"Know what?"
"That she was used."
The judge leaned back.
"Explain."
Mercer looked at him.
"The person who gave her the order wasn't trying to stop you."
"Then what?"
"He was trying to make sure the cameras saw her."
The judge stared at him.
Mercer continued.
"They wanted the public to believe you were attacked by an unstable officer."
"Why?"
"Because once the video went viral, every investigation into what happened inside the courthouse would be buried under the story outside."