Judge Barnes and Patricia get a bit uneasy when Emily mentions that James Palmer was her law professor. Things get even more intense when the David Clarke trial comes up in conversation. Patricia excuses herself from the table. The next day, Emily learns that the judge’s wife has a history of injuries. She was also friends with James Palmer. Emily now believes she wrote the unsigned letter. After James was killed, she was likely afraid of suffering the wrath of her hubby judge if she said anything.

The night of the benefit arrives, but organizer Patricia Barnes is not up for making any speeches. Emily knows it’s because she’s been beaten by her husband. She lets Patricia know that the letter she wrote gave a young Amanda Clarke the hope she needed to survive. When the time comes for the speeches, Patricia bravely steps out of her husband’s shadow to expose his past and present evildoings. She shows the audience the bruises all across her body to prove her point. It looks like Judge Barnes won’t be headed to the Supreme Court after all.