Chapter 9 - Against the Clock
"Step back from that desk, deputies," Alvarez said, her voice dropping into the icy, lethal cadence she had used to dismantle corrupt politicians in federal court.
Sterling scoffed. "Evelyn, you know better than this. An ex parte order signed by Common Pleas trumps an administrative testing session. This girl is clinically unstable."
"Judge Horvath signed that order at 7:15 AM based on a fraudulent affidavit submitted by Marcus Vance," Alvarez said, pulling a blue-backed legal document from her briefcase. "What you don't know, Richard, is that at 7:45 AM, I appeared before Superior Court Judge Karen Vance-Ross—your own second cousin, Charles—and filed an emergency emergency stay pending an evidentiary hearing on wire fraud, medical falsification, and felony aggravated assault."
My father's face darkened. "You did what?"
"Here is the certified stay," Alvarez said, thrusting the document into the lead deputy's hands. "And here is the flash drive containing the high-definition security footage of Vanessa Vance intentionally crushing Clara's hand with a floor jack while Charles Vance stood by and tampered with the scene. If you lay a single finger on my client, deputies, you will be named as co-conspirators in a federal civil rights lawsuit before lunch."
The lead deputy looked at the document, saw the gold Superior Court seal, then looked at my father.
"Counselor," the deputy muttered, backing away. "This stay is valid. We can't touch her."
"Charles," Sterling whispered, his face draining of color as he glanced at the flash drive in Alvarez's hand. "What footage is she talking about? You told me there were no cameras."
My father didn't answer. He stared at me across the small room, his eyes burning with an incandescent, toxic fury that I had never seen before.
"You're destroying this family, Clara," he whispered. "You will never practice law in this city. I will personally see to it that every firm from Boston to Washington blacklists your name."
"You won't have time to blacklist anyone, Dad," I said, my voice steady, clear, and utterly devoid of fear. "You're going to be too busy preparing your own defense."
Mrs. Gable slammed her gavel on the desk. "Deputies, clear this room now! The testing window begins in three minutes!"
The deputies turned and ushered my father and Sterling out into the corridor. The door clicked shut, the heavy deadbolt sliding into place.
Silence descended on Room 204-B.
Mrs. Gable looked at me over her half-moon spectacles. Her stern face softened just a fraction. "Candidate Vance. Put on your headset."
I pulled the microphone down to my lips with my left hand.
*9:00 AM.*
May you like
The screen flashed green. *Question 1: In re Estate of Harrington. Analyze the testamentary capacity and undue influence claims under Pennsylvania Probate Code.*
I took a deep, steady breath, looked at the blank document, and spoke my first word.
