Pierce read enough to understand the danger. Elijah could see it in the way she turned immediately to the last page and looked for the requested remedy. Her expression became composed again when she noticed him watching. She placed the papers in her folder and walked toward the prosecution table without another word.
Judge Harrison took the bench at nine, glanced at the defense motion, and announced that the jury would remain outside pending an evidentiary conference. The gallery murmured, disappointed that the expected closing arguments would be delayed. Harrison called for silence and asked Bennett to explain why the court should reopen an issue he believed had already been addressed. Her answer was not dramatic, but every sentence landed on something verifiable.
She identified the city's late production, the email sent to Pierce, the missing security report, and the contradiction between that report's apparent findings and the state's use of Exhibit 42. She explained that the defense sought an opportunity to examine Vance and to determine the disclosure history before the jury heard any more representations about the reliability of the logs. Then she made a request that drew every eye in the room toward the young man seated beside her.
"Your Honor, my assistant located the communication and created the index that makes the chronology intelligible," Bennett said. "With the court's leave, I'd like Elijah Cross to identify the source records and explain how we found them. I will handle the legal arguments and foundation."
Pierce was immediately on her feet. "Is this a joke?" she asked, and the contempt in her voice carried all the way to the back of the courtroom. She glanced at Elijah's borrowed suit, the legal pad in his hand, and his mother's anxious face. "We are not going to let a nineteen-year-old play lawyer because the defense has run out of experts."
The words were almost exactly the ones Elijah had feared hearing since his first appearance. A few people laughed before Judge Harrison stopped them with a glare. Elijah stood, but he waited until Bennett nodded and the judge gave him permission to speak. He understood now that restraint was not the absence of courage; it was the means by which courage became useful.
"I'm not asking to be admitted as a lawyer," he said. "I'm asking the court to examine material evidence supplied by the city. If a qualified technician verifies that the log doesn't identify my mother, then the jury should know it. If the records are wrong, the jury should know that, too."
Harrison regarded him thoughtfully. "Mr. Cross, you can identify where you located a document and describe the steps you took to preserve it. You cannot offer a professional opinion beyond your qualifications."
"Ms. Bennett remains responsible for every motion and every question," he added. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Honor."
The judge turned to Pierce. "You may respond after the factual proffer. First, I intend to see what the city actually gave this defense three days ago."