Lacy receives an email from Verna in which Verna says that she would like to see Lacy, but right now, every time she thinks of Lacy, she thinks of Hugo and the way he died. She says that she needs time before she’ll be ready to see Lacy again.

Greg Myers comes to see Lacy. Lacy tells him all about the trap laid by the anonymous “informant” and the collision. Myers tells her that the purpose of the collision was intimidation and suggests that Lacy consider withdrawing from the case. Lacy stubbornly refuses. She won’t allow Hugo’s death to be for nothing; she’s determined to expose the corruption, to have Junior Mace exonerated, and to bring about justice for everyone. Myers reluctantly agrees to stick around if the BJC brings in the FBI—and if Lacy agrees to keep his name completely out of it.

Lacy and Guismar finally serve the complaint on Judge McDover. They deliberately play down the severity of the accusations, focusing on the four condominiums apparently given to her as bribes. The judge appears indifferent to the complaint apart from potential damage to her reputation. Afterward, Lacy and her coworkers conclude that the judge’s hiring the most expensive lawyer in the area suggests that she’s guilty of something.