The pen hit the table with a sharp crack.
Every head in the courtroom turned.
For the first time that morning, Attorney Blake Monroe didn’t look confident.
He looked concerned.
Very concerned.
Vanessa, however, remained oblivious.
She laughed loudly.
“Oh please.”
The judge raised an eyebrow.
Vanessa immediately fell silent.
I remained standing.
The sealed envelope sat on the clerk’s desk.
Inside were copies of my credentials, appointment records, and disclosure documents.
The judge reviewed the paperwork carefully.
Then looked up.
“Ms. Arden, you currently serve on the State Bar Association’s Disciplinary Review Board?”
