He had discovered that Meridian Development had been manipulating county property records.
He had planned to expose them.
Then he died.
Whitmore closed his eyes.
For seven years, he had mourned a son he believed had died in an accident.
Now he realized that Thomas may have been killed because he found the truth.
But Vance wasn't finished.
"There was another person involved."
"Who?"
Vance looked toward the back of the courtroom.
Everyone followed his eyes.
Evelyn gasped.
Standing beside the doorway was Deputy Clerk Robert Hale.
He had worked at the courthouse for fifteen years.
He was holding Exhibit 17.
The missing document.
Hale turned and ran.
Marcus reacted instantly.
He chased him through the corridor.
Whitmore followed.
They passed the records room.
Then the stairwell.
Hale reached the basement.
He tried the emergency exit.
Locked.
Marcus caught him.
The document fell to the floor.
Hale stared at Whitmore.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
"I was protecting the court."