“The state’s audio expert matched the ticking on the recording to the exact seconds on the dispatch desk clock,” Vance pointed out.

Thomas lowered his eyes to the first page of the plea agreement.

“What’s the recommended sentence?” Thomas asked.

“A class one felony, aggravated domestic restraint,” Vance said.

“Twenty years in state custody, with no possibility of early parole.”

The room stayed silent apart from the low hum of the air duct up in the corner of the ceiling.

“If you sign today, the prosecution agrees to seal the raw audio files from distribution to the public media,” Pendelton said.

Thomas took a black fountain pen out of his shirt pocket.