ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙𝟡
????????????? ????
There has to be at least 100 files out of my desk right now. Everything was unorganized, messy. And that's saying a lot- usually my desk looked so clean it could've been featured in a furniture catalog.
It was all that Judge Johnson's fault.
I stared at the yellow legal pad sitting beside my laptop. At the top, written in black ink, was one name.
Underneath it were several questions I had accumulated. Something better than what I had started with. I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my eyes.
Judge Johnson's voice echoed through my memory. "The timeline bothered me."
That was the first thing he'd said. At first I thought he was grasping at straws. Judges saw hundreds of cases- thousands. maybe
They weren't supposed to obsess over individual details months later.
Yet he had. Which meant something about this case never left him alone. I looked down at the highlighted notes. According to trial testimony, Justin supposedly left a gas station at 8:47 PM.
The crime happened at approximately 9:01 PM. The location of the crime scene was nearly twenty minutes away.
Even with perfect traffic- speeding and every green light, the math didn't add up comfortably.
One inconsistency wasn't enough to overturn a conviction. Three or four? That's a different story.
My thoughts buzzed as I tapped my pen against the desk.
Memory under stress wasn't perfect.
But Judge Johnson specifically mentioned those statements during our call. If a judge thought something was off about a case, it's easy to get "obsessed" over it.
I grab a statement constructed by the prosecutor. The first few sentences appear exactly how it was a few months ago. But then I look closer. Some of the words didn't make sense.
Prosecutor states the landlord visibly saw Justin set the fire around 9:00.
9:00. Justin was just driving back home from the gas station. No way he got back home, set the fire, and ran away. It looked like they only assumed it with false evidence.
My eyes narrowed as I sat up straighter.
Wait.
The first witness claimed they saw Justin running from the area shortly after the crime.The second witness claimed they saw him near the convenience store minutes before- The prosecution used both statements. At the time, it made sense.
Now it looked strange.
I pulled the surveillance photos closer. Then followed the transcript, and my notes. Paper after paper began spreading across my desk.
A trail. Something I could work with.
A clue.
My pulse picked up.
The first witness estimated the sighting around 8:55. The second estimated approximately 8:40. How had no one seen this?
Those locations weren't even remotely close. I quickly grabbed a city map from one of the folders, my chair rolled backward as I spread it across the desk. I marked the gas station, start of the fire, and witness location with a red marker.
The distances were impossible. Even if Justin had sprinted, the timeline didn't work. If the timeline didn't work... then someone had been wrong.
I grabbed Judge Johnson's business card. The edges were worn from how many times I'd handled it.
My eyes dropped to the notes scribbled on the back, one sentence stood out. Look at who changed their story. It read.
I froze for a minute before grabbing another folder which contained all the statements.
Page after page, and date after date, I finally found it. One witness had changed their timeline three separate times. Her name was Christine Lou.
Somehow it never became a major issue during trial. My heart hammered against my ribs.
"Oh my gosh." I whispered to myself.
Just as I could make any further connections, the work telephone rang beside me.
I pick it up swiftly. "Hello?"
"Dixie, my office please." Ted's voice picked up.
I groaned quietly, looking at the clock. Two and a half hours disappeared.
"Dixie." he called again.
I shoved the papers together. "Coming."
I grabbed the most important files and hurried toward Ted's office. The excitement was practically vibrating through my body. For the first time since I stepped down from my position, I felt important.
~
I didn't even bother knocking. "Ted, I found something!"
The words left my mouth before I fully entered the room.
I stopped. Georgia was sitting across from Ted's desk.
All the excitement from my face immediately evaporated. "What is she doing here?"
Georgia scoffed. "Good afternoon to you too."
I ignored her as my eyes shifted to Ted. "What is this?"
Ted sighed. "Dixie."
Georgia leaned back comfortably, "I work here too, you know."
"Unfortunately." I say.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, already tired. Great, now we matched.
I walked fully into the office. Justin's files were still tucked under my arm. "I don't have time for this."
"Hey-."
"No, seriously, look." I cut Ted off.
I dropped the files onto Ted's desk.
The sound echoed through the room.
"I found something."
Ted looked at the folders, before meeting my eyes again.
"I think Judge Johnson was right."
"Judge Johnson?" Ted repeats. I realized right there and then the both of them didn't know Judge Johnson had been interacting with me.
"We'll talk about him later, but look at this."
Neither Ted nor Georgia spoke. That alone should've warned me.
"The witness timeline doesn't work." I opened one of the folders.
"The statements changed multiple times and-"
"Dixie." I barely heard him.
"...And if you compare the original interviews with the trial testimony-"
"Dixie."
"-there's a major discrepancy and.."
"Dixie!"
I stopped. Ted's voice finally cut through. Enough for me to look up.
Ted folded his hands together slowly.
Then pointed toward the empty chair beside her. "Sit down."
Immediately, every alarm bell in my head started ringing. I looked at Georgia who also looked uncomfortable. That was new.
My stomach sank.
The Justin files suddenly felt a lot heavier in my hands.
"What happened?" I say soft.
Ted doesn't answer.
"Dixie." His expression hardened, "Sit."
Reluctantly, I sit down. I hated sitting down when someone told me to- because no one tells me to do anything.
I crossed my arms. "What?"
ed exhaled slowly.
"Dixie."
"What?" I say, for what feels like the millionth time.
"Do you remember that I assigned you to assist Georgia on the Anderson case?"
Immediately, irritation flared. Of course it was about that. "Yes."
"Alright."
He kept quiet. I wasn't feeling the suspense today.
"So what exactly is the problem?"
Georgia laughed quietly. "The problem is you're never here."
My head snapped toward her.
Oh, we're doing this today."
Georgia folded her arms. "I'm trying to do my job."
"So am I."
"No." She shook her head, "You're playing detective."
My jaw tightens as I narrow my eyes at her.
Ted clears his throat. "Georgia."
What? It's true."
I look at Ted.
"Seriously?" I point toward Georgia.
Ted rubbed his forehead.
Georgia leaned forward. "The entire office knows you're obsessed with the Justin Deyes case."
"Obsessed is a reach."
"You spend every day buried in files."
"Because I'm working."
"On a case that isn't even ours anymore."
That wasn't completely wrong.
I glare at Ted. "Did you call me in here just so she could complain?"
"No."
"Because that's what it feels like."
"The issue is that Georgia requested assistance from you."
I frowned. "No she didn't."
"What?" Georgia blinked.
"She never called me." I say.
Georgia immediately sat straighter. "I shouldn't have to call you."
"If somebody needs help, they ask." I say calmly.
"Dixie-" Ted starts. I hold up a hand.
"If she needed me that badly, she could've called, texted, emailed, sent a carrier pigeon- something!"
I smirk as Georgia's face turned red.
"I shouldn't have to hunt you down to do your job." she retorts.
"Well, I shouldn't have to read your darn mind."
Ted slammed his hand on the desk. "Enough!"
I watched as he stood up. Georgia and I immediately go silent.
"I am not doing this." Nobody responded.
Ted pointed toward me.
"Dixie, you are one of the most talented attorneys I've ever worked with."
I blinked. That wasn't where I thought this was going.
"But lately, you've become difficult. You disappear, you ignore assignments, you refuse to communicate..."
I opened my mouth to argue, but Ted quickly points at me.
"No, shut it." he says firmly. He wasn't finished.
The Justin Deyes case is consuming you."
I look away.
"I understand wanting answers." His voice softened slightly, "But not at the expense of your responsibilities here."
Ted looked directly at me. "This is your last warning."
"If I have to have this conversation again..."
He paused, like he wasn't sure of what he wanted to say.
"You're fired."
Ted was serious. This time, I actually believed he would do it.
Ted pointed toward the door. "Meeting over."
Georgia stood immediately. She practically fled. The second she disappeared, I turned back toward Ted.
"Are you serious?"
"Dixie."
I stepped forward. "What she just did-"
"I-" Ted says.
"She didn't even contact me!"
"NO."
The word echoed through the office. His eyes locked onto mine. "Go."
"Ted-"
"GO."
I stared at him. Part of me wanted to keep arguing, but the smarter part realized I was already standing on very thin ice.
I grabbed my files. "Fine."
Ted said nothing as I moved toward the door.
I look back at him, smug. "You know I'm right about the Justin case."
Ted closed his eyes slowly, like he was counting to ten, maybe a hundred. "Dixie."
"Have a wonderful day, Ted."
The door clicks shut behind me.
~
The entire drive home, I replay Ted's words in my head.
Your last warning.
Your last warning.
Your last warning.
The words followed me all the way into the driveway. By the time I park, my headache is pounding. I let my forehead hit the wheel. I finally force myself out of the car. The house is quiet when I step inside for exactly three seconds before I hear footsteps.
"Cameron?"