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“That doesn’t exactly help you”

Marcus pauses, and his expression grows stony “Until you see what’s in that folder”

We wait as Earl opens it, watch his brow line as he peruses Melissa’s evidence “What is this?” he finally asks

“Miss Jones divorced Sloan Reynolds after he beat her to the point docuraph” A pause, and I feelhimself “That battery followed her discovery of his penchant for prostitutes”

A slow inhale, and our opponent closes the folder “Was this incident reported to the police?”

“No” Marcus’s voice is grave “But she has a witness that can corroborate her story”

“It’s weak, but I’ a conviction for second-degree murder, a crime committed in the heat of passion It carries a ten-year sentence with at least five to be served Do you have anything else?”

Another manila folder crosses the divide “The defendant was in the process of building a case against Sloan Reynolds when the cri photographs almost identical to Miss Jones’s, of a woman Reynolds assaulted, Jessica Black My client had reason to believe Reynolds murdered Miss Black”

Again hile the prosecutor evaluates the files in front of hie “Is any of this on the record?”

“Miss Black did file a police report for battery, which is hoe obtained that photograph of her beaten face” Marcus’s fingers cross as he folds his hands “She later backed down froes She didn’t name Reynolds in her case, but we have evidence that she was in Baltimore as his escort when the crime occurred”

A few moments pass, and the attorney across from us puckers his lips as he thinks “So Mr Alexander took the law into his own hands Voluntary hter”

No one speaks for a moment

“So there’s more Okay, Mr Merritt What’s behind Door Number Three?” His eyes are on the last folder Marcus holds

“It’s the heart of our defense of others argument” He slides it across, and the older raph of the victi underwear”