Bailiff: "Court is now in session!"
The week had flown by, but for Judy, it felt like a blur. Ever since the tense encounter with Ethan at the café, he had completely shut her out refusing to meet or take her calls. The frustration was unbearable. She couldn't complain to Monica, her boss, because Monica would simply tell her to "relax." She had vented to her best friend, Elle Harper, but Elle's advice had been far from helpful:
"If he wants to rot in jail, let him. No sense wasting your energy, girl."
But Judy couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on than met the eye. Unfortunately, with Ethan refusing to cooperate, she had made no progress on the case. Now, the trial date had arrived, and she was walking into court unprepared, silently praying for a miracle.
The courtroom was modest, with its dark wooden furniture and an elevated bench for the judge. A tense energy hung in the air. Judy took her place at the defense table beside Ethan, who sat stiff and unyielding, refusing even to glance her way. Monica sat next to her, a neutral expression masking her inner thoughts. At the prosecution table, Logan Corny—a sharp, seasoned lawyer from Dunham & Associates, the firm representing the TIC Party—sat alongside Jordan, Monica's rival from the TIC legal division. The trial, expected to be swift and straightforward, was about to begin.
The room stood as Judge Harrington entered. The judge, a gray-haired man in his sixties, adjusted his glasses before taking his seat.
Judge Harrington: "Be seated. We are here today for The People v. Ethan Carter, case number 15793. Mr. Carter stands accused of first-degree murder. Prosecution, are you ready to proceed?"
Logan Corny: "Yes, Your Honor."
Judge Harrington: "Defense, are you ready?"
Judy cleared her throat and stood, forcing herself to project some semblance of confidence.
"Yes, Your Honor."
Judge Harrington: "Very well. Prosecution, you may present your opening statement."
The room wasn't full, but a handful of reporters sat in the back, ready to jot down every detail. Monica, Judy's boss, sat beside her at the defense table. Despite being her supposed ally, Monica's loyalties clearly lay elsewhere. She tapped her pen against the table absentmindedly, her gaze flicking to Jordan—seated at the prosecution table with Logan and the TIC representatives.
Judy noticed how uninterested the prosecution appeared. Logan, Jordan, and the TIC representatives seemed bored, exchanging occasional subtle glances and barely suppressing yawns. It was as though the outcome was already decided—a performance they didn't even bother pretending to take seriously.
Logan stood and addressed the jury.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this is a simple case. The defendant, Ethan Carter, murdered Rhyan Lewis in cold blood. We will present evidence, including the murder weapon, which contains the victim's blood and DNA evidence linking the defendant. The People will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Carter is guilty of this heinous crime. Thank you."
He sat down, exchanging a quick glance with Monica, who gave him a faint nod of approval.
Judge Harrington: "Defense, your opening statement."
Judy stood again, smoothing her jacket nervously.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my client, Mr. Carter, is innocent. The prosecution will present circumstantial evidence, but we ask you to remain critical and focus on the truth. We will demonstrate that this case is not as clear-cut as it may seem. Thank you."
As she sat down, she could feel Ethan's piercing gaze, but she avoided looking at him. Monica offered no encouragement, instead appearing distracted. She glanced at the prosecution table again. Jordan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and exchanged a subtle look with Monica. One of the TIC representatives stifled a yawn, looking almost bored. It made Judy's blood boil.
Logan called his first witness: Officer John Simmons, the arresting officer.
"Officer Simmons, can you describe the events leading to Mr. Carter's arrest?"
"We received an anonymous tip implicating Mr. Carter in the murder of Rhyan Lewis. Acting on that information, we obtained a warrant and searched his apartment. We discovered the murder weapon—a knife—in a kitchen drawer."
"And was this knife tested for evidence?"
"Yes, it tested positive for the victim's blood, and DNA evidence matched Mr. Carter's."
Judy frowned. This was the first time she had heard the exact details of the weapon's discovery.
"That'll be all your honor" Logan bowed and took his sit
"The defendant will now cross examine the witness" the Judge said
"Officer Simmons, you said the knife was found in the defendant's kitchen drawer. Was it hidden?"
"No, ma'am, it was not."
"So, it was in a place where anyone with access to the apartment could have placed it?"
Officer Simmons: "Yes, but—"
Judy: "No further questions."
Judy glanced at the prosecution table again. Jordan leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and exchanged a subtle look with Monica. One of the TIC representatives stifled a yawn, looking almost bored. It made Judy's blood boil.
Logan prepared to introduce the murder weapon, he turned to the evidence table.
Logan "Your Honor, the prosecution would like to present Exhibit A, the murder weapon."
The bailiff stepped forward but paused. The evidence bag containing the knife was nowhere to be found. Lorgan frowned, glancing at Jordan, who looked confused for the first time.
Judge Harrington: "Mr. Corny, is there an issue?"
"Your Honor, it appears the evidence is missing."
A ripple of whispers spread through the courtroom. Judy sat up straighter, her mind racing. Beside her, Monica's face froze in shock. Ethan finally showed emotion—his jaw dropped slightly. She gazed through the courtroom, the TIC representative were now in shock, they were no longer non chalant...the expression on Jordan's face made her smirk
"Looks like your hands aren't so tied after all, Counselor." Ethan spoked to her for the first time since the trial.
Judge Harrington: "Missing? Are you telling me the murder weapon is unavailable?"
Logan tried to calm the direr situation looking at Jordan who was staring in disbelief "Your Honor, I..." He turned to the bailiff, who whispered something to him. "We are investigating the matter."
The courtroom erupted into murmurs. For the first time, Jordan looked unsettled, and the TIC representatives shifted uncomfortably. Monica's composed expression cracked, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Judge Harrington banged his gavel.
"Order! Mr. Corny, what do you mean the evidence is missing?"
Judy seized the moment.
"Your Honor, without the murder weapon or the supporting DNA evidence, the prosecution's case is entirely circumstantial. I move for dismissal."
"Objection! The evidence will be recovered shortly. This is a minor procedural delay."
Logan's face darkened, his composure cracking for the first time.
"Your Honor, this delay is clearly an attempt by the defense to undermine this case!"
Judy stood immediately. "Objection, Your Honor. The prosecution's failure to secure critical evidence cannot be blamed on my client."
Judge Harrington sighed heavily, glancing toward Jordan, who subtly gestured for him to continue stalling.
Judge Harrington not knowing what to make of the situation said "This is highly irregular. While I will not dismiss the case at this time, I agree that without this key piece of evidence, the prosecutor case is incomplete. I will grant a postponement. You have one..." he glanced at Jordan who gave him a sign "... Two week to resolve this issue. Court is adjourned."
He banged his gavel, and the courtroom erupted into whispers. Reporters scrambled to make calls.
"What the hell just happened?" Monica muttered to herself.
Judy glanced at Monica, who seemed rattled for the first time. Ethan leaned toward Judy, a faint smirk on his face. Judy felt her stomach knot...hes face was too close to hers and she couldn't deny the fact he is cute...she looked away to avoid Ethan seeing her face redden
"Don't let this get to your head, Judy. The evidence will turn up, and this case will end the way it's supposed to." Monica butted in distracting her
"If you say so, Monica." Judy sighed
For the first time, she felt like she had a chance—not because of Monica's warning, but because of the one question lingering in her mind: Who could have made the evidence disappear, and why?
Outside the courthouse, reporters swarmed Monica and Jordan, bombarding them with questions about the missing evidence.
Judy walked briskly to her car, her mind racing. Ethan followed her, finally breaking his silence.
Ethan: "I'm sorry for being such a jerk earlier. Today was a wake-up call. I don't want to go to jail. I'll cooperate from now on... same time tomorrow?"
Judy nodded, feeling a small flicker of hope. She now had time—time to dig into the truth, time to figure out who Ethan Carter really was, and time to uncover the real players behind this case.
For Monica, Jordan, and the TIC Party, the missing evidence was a disaster. What was meant to be a quiet, swift trial had now drawn national attention, and cracks were beginning to form in their carefully constructed plan. But two weeks is a long time....a lot can happen in two weeks.