Kelly stopped walking. The decision crystallized in her chest—a mixture of professional necessity and something more dangerous. She turned to face James directly, her expression carefully neutral, though her heart hammered against her ribs.
James halted mid-stride. For a moment, neither of them moved. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting harsh shadows across his face. She could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his grip tightened on the file folder.
"Wagner," she said, her voice low enough that the passing courthouse clerk wouldn't catch the intimacy of it. "You're on the Webb case."
It wasn't a question. James glanced around, assessing who might be watching, then took a measured step toward her. When he spoke, his voice was controlled, professional—but she heard the undercurrent beneath it.
"Peterson. I didn't expect to see you here today." His eyes held hers for a fraction too long. "Though I suppose I should have."
"Why are you reviewing his file?" Kelly kept her voice steady, though her mind was already spiraling through the implications. If James was looking at Marcus's case, if he was preparing his prosecution strategy, then he knew something. Or he was anticipating her next move.
James shifted the folder slightly, a gesture that seemed almost defensive. "The same reason you are, I'd imagine. Due diligence." He paused, and something flickered across his face—uncertainty, maybe, or conflict. "My office received a request for additional documentation on the original investigation. I'm reviewing the file to determine what we're obligated to release."
The words hung between them, loaded with meaning. Kelly understood immediately. Someone was pushing for disclosure. Someone wanted the original evidence examined more closely. And James—James was caught in the middle, just as she was.
"And what have you determined?" she asked quietly.
James looked away, his jaw tightening. When he met her eyes again, she saw something there that made her breath catch—doubt, maybe even guilt. "That's a conversation we should have," he said carefully. "But not here. Not like this."
He resumed walking, leaving Kelly standing alone in the flickering hallway, understanding that everything had just become infinitely more complicated.