'Like anyone who isn't a judge needs to watch that prick JJ for a tenth of a second longer than they absolutely have to.'

Is it bad, that that's the first thing he thinks of? The first words that come out of his mouth? If you're going to eat your heart out about it, do it somewhere other than the podium, Yakov's stern voice echoes in his mind. But if it wasn't right on the podium, it isn't any better here. It doesn't feel right in his head or his heart. And it's in the effort of casting around for something that does feel right that the next words out of his mouth come out with a sudden vehemence:

'He shouldn't have left you here alone.'