Offer and counter-offer

There was an offer and a counter-offer, each on its own sheet, and not a signature on either. In the corridors people talked about figures and deleted videos. The settlement pen still had nothing to sign. Not every row and column has to be occupied.

Suspects

• Ascensão, the reporter on duty: She spent four hours in the lobby watching doors open. She left with three words: "no agreement".
• Benjamim, the court doorman: He puts the bags through the X-ray. He says he saw plenty of pens go through, and only one important one.
• Cecília, the court office clerk: She scheduled the trial for June straight away. She says she knew it would be needed.
• Dionísio, the volunteer mediator: He offered to mediate. He mediated for ten minutes and then went for a coffee.