I smoothed the front of my skirt and stared straight at the wall behind her head.

“Is that your official offer?” Marcus asked.

“It’s a generous offer,” Cross said, tapping his leather folder against his palm.

“A drawn-out public hearing is going to embarrass your client and hurt her third-grade teaching contract with the district.”

Marcus opened his briefcase on the wooden bench, took out a thick blue folder, and turned it toward Cross.

“In this folder is a signed felony assault warrant from the county prosecutor,” Marcus said.

“We’re going in.”