"They copied mine."
"Who?"
Hale hesitated.
Then he said the name.
"Chief Justice Adrian Cole."
The room went silent.
Adrian Cole was the highest-ranking judge in the county.
He had appointed Whitmore years earlier.
He had attended Thomas's funeral.
He had sent flowers.
He had comforted the family.
And now Hale was accusing him of helping cover up a murder.
Whitmore felt something inside him collapse.
"You're certain?"
Hale nodded.
"He ordered the records destroyed."
Whitmore returned to the courtroom.
The morning docket was still lying on the bench.
He looked at the twelve cases.
Then he understood the meaning of the note.
CHECK THE DOCKET.
Someone had deliberately placed a case on the morning docket that should never have been there.
A routine property hearing.
Case 24-CV-1190.
It involved a company that did not officially exist.
Whitmore opened the file.
Inside was a list of shell companies.
Each one connected to Meridian.
Each one connected to Adrian Cole.
The corruption went higher than anyone expected.