The evidence had to be preserved. The report had to be accurate. Any witnesses needed to be identified, and the officer's conduct had to be reviewed through the appropriate process.
JOSEPHINE: "Mr. Gallagher, I want the hallway cameras secured before any footage is overwritten or lost."
Thomas looked at her.
THOMAS: "I'll contact courthouse administration immediately."
JOSEPHINE: "I also want the names of the witnesses recorded."
THOMAS: "That will be included."
BRADLEY: "You cannot just start issuing demands."
The words escaped him before he appeared to consider their implications.
Thomas slowly turned his head.
THOMAS: "Officer Miller, I suggest you stop interrupting."
BRADLEY: "I'm not taking orders from someone who doesn't understand what happened."
Thomas's expression became cold.
THOMAS: "Then perhaps you should explain it clearly instead of arguing with everyone who asks you a question."
The spectators remained silent.
Bradley seemed to realize that his attempt to control the conversation was having the opposite effect.
Every time he raised his voice, another person appeared willing to explain what they had witnessed.
Every time he refused to answer a direct question, his explanation seemed less convincing.
And every time he attempted to dismiss Josephine's concerns, she responded with a specific request that could be independently verified.
Thomas turned toward the clerk.
THOMAS: "Please contact the administrative office and request that the footage from this corridor be preserved. Give them the approximate time and location."
CLERK: "I'll do that now."
THOMAS: "And please ask the security supervisor to come here."
Bradley immediately stiffened.
BRADLEY: "There is no reason to call my supervisor."
THOMAS: "That decision is not yours to make."
BRADLEY: "I'm telling you that I can handle this."
THOMAS: "And I'm telling you that an incident of this nature cannot be resolved simply because you want it to disappear."
Bradley stared at him.
A few moments earlier, he had believed the arrival of another official would strengthen his position. Now, he seemed to understand that Thomas was not going to support him automatically.
He glanced toward Josephine.
BRADLEY: "You still haven't explained why you were here."
Josephine looked at him steadily.
JOSEPHINE: "I am not required to prove my innocence to someone who has already decided that I am guilty of something."
BRADLEY: "That's not what I'm saying."
JOSEPHINE: "Then explain what you are saying."
He hesitated.
JOSEPHINE: "You stopped me. You demanded answers. You put your hands on me. You struck me. And now you are attempting to shift the conversation toward my presence in this building rather than your own actions."
Bradley opened his mouth, but Thomas spoke first.
THOMAS: "She has a point. We need to establish what happened, not create new accusations to distract from the original incident."
The officer's face became rigid.
He looked around again, noticing that several people were still watching and that the clerk had already begun contacting administration.
His confidence was beginning to fracture.
He had expected the woman to become frightened after the slap. He had expected her to retreat, apologize for the argument, or leave the building before anyone could question him.
Instead, she remained where she was.
She did not raise her voice.
She did not insult him.
She did not attempt to strike back.
She simply insisted that the incident be investigated.
That insistence made him feel increasingly exposed.
BRADLEY: "Fine. I'll write my report."
THOMAS: "You will have the opportunity to submit your account."
BRADLEY: "And I will make it clear that she was the one who escalated the situation."
JOSEPHINE: "You may write whatever you believe is accurate. The witnesses should be allowed to do the same."
Bradley looked at her as though he could not understand why she remained so composed.
BRADLEY: "You seem very confident that everyone is going to believe you."
JOSEPHINE: "This is not about who people believe. It is about what happened and what the evidence establishes."
Thomas glanced at Josephine.
There was something unmistakable about the way she spoke. She did not sound like someone trying to win an argument. She sounded like someone accustomed to evaluating evidence, separating facts from assumptions, and requiring people to justify their conclusions.
The realization made Thomas even more certain that the officer had made a terrible mistake.
He had known Josephine Caldwell for years.
He had watched her preside over difficult proceedings with remarkable composure. He had seen her question witnesses who contradicted themselves, challenge attorneys who relied on unsupported claims, and insist that everyone in the courtroom be treated with respect.
He knew how seriously she regarded the responsibilities of her position.