"Put the case down, now."
"Tell me your legal authority first."
"You're under arrest for obstruction."
"Obstruction of what?"
"Officer!"
"Interfering."
"What law?"
"Release her."
"It's evidence."
"Which is it?"
"Never mind. Officer,"
"Answer her."
"Restricted? It matters."
"Why the recording?"
"Recording? Recording? I... I meant papers. I never mentioned a recording."
"Do not—"
"Don't play that."
"Why not?"
"Because it's confidential."
"You said you didn't know what she had."
"Your honor, this was preserved before today."
"Get the file."
"Officer, into custody."
"She was the one I arrested."
"Now you're taken into custody."
"You planned all of this. I re—"
The heavy wooden doors of the district courthouse opened, and Alana Brooks walked inside carrying a black leather briefcase. She wasn't running. She wasn't nervous.
She simply walked through the security checkpoint, adjusted the sleeve of her navy suit, and headed toward the courtroom like someone who had every right to be there.
Then a uniformed police officer stepped directly into her path.
"Stop, Alana. Stop."
The officer looked at her briefcase. "Put the case down."
She glanced at him, then at the courtroom entrance behind him. "Why?"
His jaw tightened. "Because I told you to."
A few people waiting along the courtroom wall turned their heads. Alana didn't move. Instead, she asked the question most people wouldn't have dared to ask a police officer standing between them and a courtroom.
"Officer, what is your legal authority to take my property?"
The officer stared at her. "You don't need to know that."
"Yes, I do."
His expression hardened. "This is a police investigation."
"Then you can tell me which part of my briefcase is evidence."
The officer took one step closer. "Ma'am, don't make this difficult."
Alana held his gaze. "I'm not making it difficult. I'm asking you to identify the law."
For a moment, neither of them moved. Inside the courtroom, conversations began fading one by one. The officer's hand moved toward his belt.
"Turn around."
Alana's voice remained calm. "For what?"
"You're being detained."
"Under what charge? Obstruction?"
A quiet gasp came from somewhere behind her. Elena looked around. She was surrounded by strangers, but she didn't lower her eyes.
"Obstruction of what?"
The officer snapped, "You've been warned."
"No," Elena replied. "You told me to surrender my property. I asked why."
The officer reached for her arm. "Put your hands behind your back."
That was when the courtroom doors opened again. Judge Evelyn Carter had heard the commotion. She stepped out from behind the bench and looked toward the aisle.
"What is happening?"
The officer immediately straightened. "Your honor, this woman is interfering with an active police investigation."
Elena looked at the judge. "I've done nothing except ask him to identify his authority."
The officer cut in, "She refused a lawful order."
Judge Carter's eyes moved to the briefcase. "What lawful order?"
The officer hesitated. "To surrender the property."
"Why?"
"It's police property."
Elena's eyebrows lifted. "That briefcase belongs to me."
The officer quickly corrected himself. "The contents may contain restricted material."
Judge Carter studied him. "May?"
The officer said nothing. The judge looked at Elena. "Miss Brooks, do you know why this officer believes your briefcase contains restricted material?"
Elena slowly shook her head. "No, your honor." Then she looked back at the officer. "But apparently he knows exactly what he's looking for."
Something changed in the officer's face, barely a flicker. But Judge Carter caught it. Elena caught it, too.
The officer stepped closer. "Enough. Turn around."
Elena's voice dropped. "Officer—"
He reached for her wrist. "If you arrest me," she said, "you should be prepared to explain to this judge why you knew what was inside that briefcase before you ever opened it."
His hand stopped inches from her arm. The courtroom went completely silent.