‘From a yard away in a well-lit courtroom?’ Thistle says. ‘No.’

‘Especially since Iuculano had already used it to murder his wife.’

‘We’d heard reports that shots had been fired in the building,’ Thistle said. ‘But at the point when we first saw Iuculano, we didn’t know who had done the shooting, or who had been shot.’

Simmons places another document in front of her. ‘According to Mario and the neighbours, this is what you said before Iuculano opened fire. Read it for the court, please.’

Fletcher stands up. ‘Your Honour, this was in my client’s official statement. The facts are not in dispute. Mr Simmons is—’

‘I’ll allow it,’ the judge says.

Thistle clears her throat. ‘I said, “Drop the weapon. Do it now.”’

‘I take it you didn’t mean a phone or a wallet,’ Simmons says.

‘It could also have been a knife or a Taser,’ Thistle says. ‘It could have been anything. My hope was that he would put it down no matter what it was.’

‘Well, he didn’t. He shot your partner. A man who—’

‘At which point I determined that it was a gun,’ Thistle says, ‘so I put him down with two shots to centre mass.’

‘He shot your partner,’ Simmons repeated, ‘a man who entrusted you with his safety.’

‘Hence the first aid,’ Thistle says. ‘Instead of blaming me for Bucetti’s shooting, maybe you should blame the guy who shot him.’

‘I’m inclined to agree, Mr Simmons,’ the judge says. ‘Care to tell me why I shouldn’t throw this case out of court?’

I can see Thistle holding her breath.

‘Iuculano may have caused the damage to Mario’s arm,’ Simmons says, ‘but Miss Thistle is responsible for his emotional pain. He put his trust in her, and she failed to protect him.’

‘Do you have any evidence of that emotional pain?’ the judge asks dubiously.

‘He’s been in therapy,’ Simmons says.

‘Already paid for by the FBI, Your Honour,’ Fletcher puts in eagerly. ‘Standard after a shooting.’

‘He doesn’t feel like he can go back to work,’ Simmons says.

‘Well, not after suing his partner,’ Thistle says.

The judge silences her with a sharp look. Then she says, ‘Even if there were adequate evidence of emotional harm, Agent Thistle wouldn’t necessarily be responsible for it. It sounds like she has fulfilled her duty of care, and I don’t want to set a precedent that encourages police to fire on potentially unarmed suspects, even to protect other officers. Case dismissed. The plaintiff will pay the defendant’s costs.’

Thistle looks at her. She can’t believe it.

‘Your Honour—’ Simmons begins.

‘I’ve made my ruling,’ the judge says. ‘Case dismissed.’ She bangs the gavel and starts the slow process of getting out of her chair.