“Recuse me.”
“Obviously.”
“Immediately.”
“I’ll enter order.”
“No.”
“What?”
“I want disclosure on record before they testify.”
Evelyn understood.
“You want them to see you.”
Adrian’s eyes opened.
“No.”
The answer came fast.
“That cannot be the reason.”
“Then why?”
“Because the parties deserve a transparent record explaining recusal.”
“You can write order.”
“I could.”
He looked at the robe.
“But if I disappear from docket at 8:55 after being involved in an incident with two government witnesses, rumors begin.”
“I will take bench only to disclose conflict and recuse.”
Evelyn was quiet.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Not because you want Wells scared?”
Adrian considered.
He owed her honesty.
“Part of me does.”
“Good.”
He frowned.
“Good?”
“If you had said no, I’d worry.”
She continued:
“Recognizing impulse is how you keep it from becoming decision.”
His grandfather again.
Power and character.
“All right.”
Evelyn said.
“You may make disclosure.”
“Then I take the case.”
“No rulings.”
“No questioning.”
“No commentary beyond necessary.”
“Agreed.”
“And Adrian?”
“Yes?”
“Wear the robe.”
He looked at garment bag.
“Why?”
“Because you are the judge entering your courtroom.”
“Do not make yourself smaller to protect men who put you on asphalt.”
She hung up.
At 8:57 a.m., Courtroom 3A was nearly full.
Federal prosecutors.
Defense lawyers.
Marshals.
Clerks.
Observers.
Sergeant Grady Wells entered through side door wearing his black duty uniform.
Officer Tyler Pike followed.
Neither had slept much.
Wells’s attorney had instructed him not to discuss the rest-stop incident.
Pike’s union representative gave same advice.
They were in federal court for the Calder suppression hearing.
Wells looked irritated.
Pike looked sick.
Defense counsel, Leah Morgan, sat at counsel table beside Joseph Calder.
The Assistant U.S. Attorney, David Keller, organized files.
Wells leaned toward him.
“Who’s the judge?”
“New appointee.”
“First day.”
“What’s his name?”
Keller looked at docket.
“Ross.”
Wells froze.
“What?”
“Judge Adrian Ross.”
Pike stared at him.
“No.”
Keller looked between them.
“You two okay?”
Neither answered.
The courtroom deputy stood.
“All rise.”
Every person stood.
The side door opened.
Adrian entered.