Marissa looked directly at her colleague. Patricia, how many luxury cars have you seen seized during traffic stops in this district? How many black drivers accused of stealing vehicles they legally own? Hammond was quiet for several floors. When the elevator reached her floor, she paused in the doorway.
Be careful, Marissa. They're playing for your entire career now. Marissa spent the morning reviewing case law on evidence tampering and police misconduct. Without active judicial duties, she could focus entirely on understanding the legal landscape surrounding her own situation. The irony was profound.
She was researching federal civil rights violations from the perspective of a victim, rather than a judge. Her phone buzzed with a news alert. The local television station was broadcasting a segment titled Federal Judge Claims Police Harassment. The story featured the edited body camera footage, an interview with Lieutenant Voss discussing police accountability, and commentary from unnamed legal experts questioning whether federal judges should receive special treatment during traffic stops. She watched Voss speaking directly to the camera.
Judge Cole had every opportunity to resolve this matter quietly and professionally. Instead, she chose to weaponize her judicial position against officers who were simply doing their job. The evidence clearly shows resistance to a lawful investigation. The edited footage played again. Viewers saw her arm moving away from Roark's grip, while his voice shouted, "Stop resisting! " The sequence was brief, tightly cropped, and devastating to anyone who didn't know what happened in the preceding seconds.
At noon, Grant called with an update on the evidence review scheduled at the impound facility. The independent court granted access to examine the Ferrari's condition and remaining systems, he reported. But the department insisted on having officers present during any inspection. Which officers? Roark and Mercer.
They're claiming supervisory responsibility for the evidence. Marissa gathered her jacket and car keys. Then we'll see them at 2:00. The impound facility sat behind a chain-link fence topped with razor wire. Marissa arrived in her rental car, a modest sedan that drew no attention from passing motorists.
The contrast with her Ferrari was intentional. Today, she needed to project the image of someone seeking justice, rather than privilege. Grant waited near the entrance with a court-appointed evidence examiner. Through the fence, Marissa could see her red Ferrari sitting in the secured lot covered with a blue tarp that fluttered in the afternoon wind. Roark emerged from the facility office as they approached the gate.
His uniform was crisp, his demeanor confident. Beside him, Mercer looked uncomfortable but said nothing. "Judge Cole," Roark said with exaggerated formality, "surprised to see you here personally. Most people in your position would send lawyers to handle the details. " "Most people in my position weren't arrested beside their own vehicle," Marissa replied evenly. Roark unlocked the gate and led them toward the Ferrari.
You know, this whole situation could have been avoided. Lieutenant Voss made you a fair offer. Acknowledge it was a misunderstanding, sign the agreement, take your car, and move on. Instead, you decided to make it about race and police misconduct. The evidence examiner began photographing the Ferrari's condition while Grant documented the surrounding area.