My stilletto heels make and obnoxious sound as I pace back and forth across the hardwood floors in the old, country courthouse. I look down at my left shoe with disdain. It's still missing a heel tap. I can't believe I did it again.

Tanya, Judge Ward's secretary, finally emerges from the Judge's chambers and escorts me to a conference room. She hits a button on a large flat screen television bolted to aging mahogany paneling. The screen flickers on.

"Professor Allouch will be on shortly."

"Is the Judge not joining us?" Before yesterday I'd be thrilled at avoiding contact with Judge Ward, but now my plans have changed. Now my plans depend on it.

"Toward the end. Most of your time is with the Professor, since she's ultimately making the staffing decisions." I'm pleased at that development, although I know my chances at this externship are still slim. If the Judge has any say at all, I'm sure he's not going to select the girl who broke his Godson's nose. Especially not after what I have planned.

Tanya makes her way out of the room as Professor Allouch appears on the screen.

"Ms. Evans, I'm so pleased to be speaking with you finally. Sorry it has to be via videoconference. I'm still wrapping things up here in Chicago." In the background, I see boxes stacked up in front of empty built-in bookcases. 

The interview goes well. So well that I start to question my strategy. I genuinely like professor Allouch. I can see myself working with her, and I'm excited about the opportunities she discusses. 

Judge Ward enters toward the end of my interview, just in time to catch Professor Allouch logging off. He flicks a button on the remote and the screen goes blank.

"It was nice to see you again Ms. Evans." His tone is cold. "Dr. Allouch will be in touch." He turns his back on me quickly and stalks toward the door.

"Actually, Judge, there is something I'd like to discuss if you have a minute."

"Dr. Allouch is the best resource for questions," he grumbles.

"It's not about the internship." My eyes dart to the open door checking for Tanya's presence. "It's about something of a more personal nature." His eyes follow mine, then roam up and down my figure. A slimy grin slithers across his face.

"Of course. Join me in my private chambers."

"I'd prefer to stay here." I cross to the table and take a seat. I place my hands on my lap under the table where he can't see them shaking. "There's plenty of room here, and Wyatt and will be joining us."

"Wyatt?" He asks, surprised.

There's a knock on the door and Wyatt sticks his head in.

"What's going on?"

I gesture for him to take a seat. He looks back and forth between the judge and I.

Wyatt narrows his eyes at me as he crosses the room, but he sits in the chair to the Judge's left.

"I don't have time to mediate some lover's squabble." The judge rises.

I take a deep breath and prepare myself to do my best Benjamin Drake impression. "Do you have time to respond to a public open records request pertaining to James Bradford's conviction and recent arrest? Kentucky's Sunshine Law makes all those records public, right? Or would you rather we discuss this here, in private?" My voice comes out with an authoritative confidence I don't even recognize. 

Judge Ward stops, and then slowly sits. His eyes flick between Wyatt and me. "What is this about?"

I pull a thin stack of documents from my bag. I have to make a conscious effort to keep my hand from shaking. I clear my throat and slide a police report across the desk.

"This is the incident report from James Bradford's arrest yesterday. He's scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow. That's your statement Officer Montgomery. Your signature on the bottom of the report, correct?"

Wyatt narrows his eyes at me and leans forward. "What are you up to?" 

"Did you arrest James, and is this your report?"

He nods, but doesn't say anything.

"Except it's a lie. James never hit you."

The Judge shifts uncomfortably in his seat. Wyatt's entire demeanor shifts. He stiffens and leans across the table. "I get that you're trying to save your new boyfriend. But the bruise on my jaw tells a different story."

The Judge looks back and forth between us, as if he's trying to determine who to believe.

I reach across the table and connect my iPad to the TV. I open the file, and the video starts to play on the flat screen behind me.

Sonic's surveillance equipment is cheap, producing only grainy video with no audio. But It's enough to corroborate James's story. My entire body tenses when I see James's car appear in the alley. Seconds later, a cruiser pulls behind him. A few seconds after that, a second cruiser pulls in front and boxes him in. We watch in silence as Wyatt approaches the vehicle. I force myself to hold in the scream that threatens to erupt when Wyatt pulls his gun. Wyatt taunts James for several minutes. James doesn't move, but I can see the tension in his posture, the emotions that cross his expression before he shuts them down. I don't know what Wyatt is saying, but with Judge Ward in the room, I'm grateful there's no audio.

I let the entire video play out before speaking.

"We both care about Wyatt," I say to Judge Ward. "But it's obvious he lied in that police report. I cannot allow this injustice. But I also don't want to hurt Wyatt, either. I called this meeting instead of showing this in open court in the hopes we can resolve this quietly, for Wyatt's sake."

Wyatt stands suddenly and leans across the table, pointing his finger in my face. "You did it to save your own ass and protect your boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? I have no idea what you could possibly mean. I'm just worried about you Wyatt. You're not acting yourself." I mimic his condescending tone and see the vein in his forehead throb. "In fact, we are probably going to look back on this one day and laugh. You're going to appreciate the lengths I've gone to protect you from yourself." The tips of his ears turn bright red.

I turn to the Judge and slide a document across the table, one of the forms Anna's dad emailed me last night. "This is a dismissal entry. Dismissing the pending charges against James Bradford, that you can clearly see from the video evidence are fabricated."

"We're not dismissing shit," Wyatt growls. He's cocky, but the Judge doesn't seem to share in Wyatt's confidence. I roll my eyes and slide the petition and restraining order to the judge. "I filed this petition for an emergency protective order this morning. I'm demanding that for the next two years, Wyatt stay off campus and stay at least 500 feet from me at all other times."

I pull the third document from my folder and slide a copy to Wyatt.  He picks it up, glances at it, then throws it back on the table.

"What is this?"

"It's a confidentiality agreement. It says you won't disclose any information you may have about me or James Bradford. To anyone. Ever."

"Or else what?"

"Or else you pay me one million dollars."

He laughs. "I don't even have a million dollars."

"And you never will. Not if you violate that agreement. I will sue you. I will garnish wages from every job you ever have. Put a lien on every single piece of property you ever own."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's an explanation of potential consequences."

He shoves the paper out of reach.

"I'm not signing that."

I shrug. "Fine. Then I'm posting a copy of that police report and the surveillance video on social media. I'm sending it to every T.V. station in the region. After that, my lawyer plans to send open records requests to the Judge, court, and department of corrections for all information surrounding Mr. Bradford's prior conviction." The Judge's head snaps my direction, his eyes wide. "Every email. Every phone record. Everything having to do with James Bradford will be uncovered. I already have a lawyer. The files are already uploaded, and the emails are already drafted. If I don't walk out of here with your signature on those forms, this whole scandal goes public." 

Wyatt leans in and narrows his eyes even further. He cocks his head to the side and I recognize the look in his eye. He's appraising me. He's trying to figure out how serious I am. Suddenly, he straightens and punches the tabletop.

"Dammit Blaise you will not get away with this."

"Sit down, boy." The Judge grumbles. He pulls on Wyatt's elbow, and Wyatt falls back into his chair. The Judge leans forward and rubs his temples. He looks at me, completely ignoring Wyatt seething beside him.

"Thank you for coming directly to me with this, young lady. You were right not to turn this into a public circus." He turns toward Wyatt and gestures to the papers on the table. 

"I have your assurance that if I sign these, it is the last I will hear about this."

"I promise. I just want my peace."

The Judge reaches for the dismissal entry, and shoves the confidentiality agreement and restraining order toward Wyatt.

"Wyatt, you should sign those, boy."