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“I’ve collected so posts about Ms Hill, who has already been painted as the villain,” Giftos said “The public has her tied to the stake and is ready to light her up We will not be able to find an unbiased jury”

Rathburn said, “Ms Castellano?”

Yuki said, “Your Honor, if Ms Hill can’t get a fair trial in San Francisco, where can she get a fair trial? As Mr Giftos knows full well, if the story is out, it’s out The internet isn’t restricted to this city, and pretrial noise is just fake news Ms Hill is sometimes painted as the villain And sometimes Mr Christopher is the baddie It’s even steven”

Rathburn looked impatient and somewhat distracted Would he decide to send the case elsewhere? Or, liketo be a high-profile case, with all of the valuable publicity that would accrue to him?

He adjusted his chair, placed his feet firmly on the floor, and said, “Okay, here it is The case stays in this jurisdiction The two of you, with ossip and chatter We’re all capable of doing that

“Anything else?”

There was silence for the next five or six seconds

“No? Good,” said the judge “See you in court”

Yuki, Art, and Jaether and when they reached the stairs, Giftos leaned down to speak into Yuki’s ear

“I’ve only just begun, young lady I’ to crush you Do you hear me?”

Yuki stepped away from him and said, “Do your best and your worst, James Our case is solid Do you hear me?”

“Wonderful,” he said “Game on”

CHAPTER 35

AT ABOUT NINE o’clock on a drizzly Sunday night, Michael walked south along the four-lane-wide section of Coluhborhood

The asphalt was slick with rain The e on both sides of the busy roadway