I hung up and put the phone down on the counter.

I stood over the pine table, reached out with both hands, and closed the thick black binder with a quiet, solid thump.

I picked the binder up off the table and put it neatly in my leather briefcase, right next to the official court summons for Monday morning.

Marcus put his heavy leather portfolio down on the oak bench outside Courtroom 3B.

Down the marble hallway, Patricia was walking between Vanessa and a tall man in a dark navy suit and gold cufflinks.