Page 44 of Dirty Judge

“I’m starting a new one as of today.”

“Oh?” He smiled. “And it involves this floor?”

I considered telling him that yes, I was sleepwalking due to stress, but the last thing I needed was to power a new rumor mill.

“I need to get into the case records library to look up a few old cases,” I said. “I have all new clerks, so it’d be quicker for me to handle this myself.”

“Makes perfect sense.” He pulled out a tablet and tapped the screen. “I’ll start keeping it unlocked for you until you tell me otherwise, sir.”

“Thank you.”

I quickly made my way down the hall and into the office, grateful there was no one here to pester me about the sign-in sheet.

Weaving through a maze of floor-to-ceiling shelves, I made a beeline to the “J” aisle and pulled the box marked “Grant Jenkins: Full Docket.”

I took the emergency stairwell up to my chambers and locked myself inside my office.

I rummaged inside the box, searching for the binder named “Inadmissible Evidence—Per Judge Ashton,” and opened it.

The first few pages were copies of things any judge would throw out for a trial—photocopies of “he said, she said” confessions, random high school sports records, and?—

I stopped at the sight of a newspaper article.

Grant Jenkins—How He Carries on His Family’s Booming Legacy.

It was a puff piece from a long time ago, from a small town paper that no longer existed.

“If you ever want to know what it feels like to have the weight of your family’s destiny on your shoulders, take a long drive to this small town that sits just outside of upstate New York.”

I skimmed the first sentence and nearly flipped the page, but the byline stopped me.

Olivia S.

Hmmm…

I tapped my finger against my desk, wondering if I could use some of Olivia’s writing background to my advantage for this case. Perhaps I could lighten up on some of her upcoming punishment to give her time to help me with this.

Then again, hell no.

I can handle doing two things at the same damn time.

FRIVOLOUS (ADJ.):

REFERRING TO A LEGAL MOVE IN A LAWSUIT CLEARLY INTENDED MERELY TO HARASS, DELAY OR EMBARRASS THE OPPOSITION.

OLIVIA

“All rise for the honorable Judge Ashton!” The bailiff announced later that morning.

I was tempted to remain seated, but I had a feeling he would notice and use it against me later.

Looking sexy as hell in his robe, he emerged from his hellhole and settled onto his bench.

“You may all be seated,” he said.

“Pay close attention to Mara,” his secretary softly whispered to my left. “She wants you to see the flow of the court this week since you may have to step in for her on certain days.”

“Like, the day she gets sick or something?”