Chapter One
“Court’s adjourned.” Judge Theresa Fairchild was the legal maestro in this tribunal setting, the gavel her baton, the black robe her formal conducting attire, and while the members of the audience before her weren’t exactly season ticket holders, there were several who had appeared in front of her on repeat occasions.
Once back in the judges’ suite, Tess entered her private chambers and removed her robe. She gave her personal phone a quick glance. Her mood elevated as she touched the screen and listened to the voicemail.
“Fred took the kids to Friday afternoon bowling. They’re home on break and I need a break from their break. I’m here sipping wine, so call me if you get this before I finish the bottle. You’ll be their shero, Wonder Woman, saving dinner. Without the rest of the wine for the marinade, dinner won’t be the chicken marsala I’m supposed to be making.”
Flo had proven herself almost three decades ago as the college roommate Tess had so desperately needed at the time, and they remained best friends.
Tess smiled and pressed Flo’s number. “Hi. I just shed my robe. I take it you didn’t finish the bottle.”
“It was so tempting, much as I love my family,” Flo replied. “Was it the Grim Reaper robe you were shedding?Pleasetell me it’s some sexy little morning-after number, and you were so preoccupied with a gorgeous woman that you didn’t crawl out of bed until just a bit ago.”
Tess shook her head. Flo never let up. “It’s almost five o’clock, and I’ve been pounding my wooden hammer all day long. My robe is long, black, and formidable, so behave yourself and stay on the right side of the law. Or don’t get caught.” They both chuckled.
Her robe was more than simply stitched cloth. Judge Theresa Fairchild had become damn successful wearing it. She was respected, knowledgeable, and competent when she was on the bench. Unfortunately, the confidence she felt in her professional life didn’t extend to her personal one. And as much as she’d responded as if Flo’s morning-after comment hadn’t bothered her, the reminder of what she was missing in her life stung.
“Well, I know you practically sleep in that robe, but where’s the fun in that?” Then Flo gently added, “I’m one of the few people who know the person wearing that robe. The woman you keep concealed beneath that veneer. The real Tess. She’s pretty badass.”
“The rest of the world might tell you that I have a stick up that part of my anatomy,” Tess replied. “And heaven help me, but you’ve also turned me into a cat lady.”
“The mature feline rescuer who’s almost single-handedly holding the justice system together when she’s not trying to figure out her own life. And not even close to the stoic stalwart she portrays on the bench.”
Who would have thought that flirting with death could make someone a cat lady? Tess skimmed her fingertips across the rough patch of scar tissue below her left clavicle. While she could remind herself that the bullet that had pierced her chest a little over a year ago hadn’t actually physically damaged her heart, it unsettled her that a confrontation with mortality finally had her seriously considering the metaphorical hole that was there. She had started to question what she was missing in her life.
Adopting a couple of middle-aged rescue cats was a steptoward stopping Flo’s relentless prodding to start filling that hole. Tess had adopted the feline duo, Thelma and Louise, six months ago. Not that she’d named them—they’d come with those names.
“Don’t push it. Now you’re trying to ruin my reputation.” This was the amusement-injected version of the more serious authoritative tone Tess used on the bench when she wanted to convey that she was in charge and wouldn’t be toyed with. A voice laced with gravity. “I might be a sucker for taking your advice, but that doesn’t give you free rein to slander that hard-won hard-ass reputation.”
Flo chuckled. “Yes, Your Honor. So, what are your plans for the next two weeks? Skydiving in Fiji, African safari, descending into a volcano in Iceland?”
Tess glanced around her office as the reality of the looming vacation break that she now faced became unavoidable.
“None of your business.” Tess didn’t know how to do unplanned time, and she had no specific plans for the downtime she was facing. It was rather intimidating. The Corazon County Superior Courthouse was the world where she was labeled a success, as evidenced by her recent reelection. Well, that was 12,476 voters who didn’t know how badly she ran the rest of her life. She just hoped that this scheduled hiatus would reenergize her and help her regain her equilibrium.
“Now if you were one of my kids, I’d translatenone of your businessto mean wild and naughty plans, but something tells me you don’t have any.” Flo didn’t wait for an answer. “That’s good.”
Even though Flo couldn’t see her, Tess rolled her eyes. Flo knew that she’d never been someone who would give herself permission to pursue uninhibited passion. Oh, she’d come out as a lesbian decades ago, dated on occasion without achieving a lasting romance, but Tess was pretty sure her reserveddemeanor had kept her off most people’s radar. Only Flo and Tess’s aunt, Alice, had always fully accepted who she was.
“Glad to have your approval.” Tess had actually expected a good-natured lecture to her lack of plans.
“Good because Uncle Joe’s cabin at Lake Tahoe is available, and not only is it cat friendly, but it’ll get you out of town.” Joe was Flo’s uncle by marriage, and he shared his cabin with his extended family.
Tess thought about it for a moment. Flo was offering her a last-minute option for these two weeks off. One that meant she didn’t have to figure out Thelma and Louise. One that would offer her a temporary change in environment. She’d spent time at the cabin with Flo, an RN, when she was recuperating from the shooting, so she knew her way around.
With her recent reelection, she had six more years on her judicial calendar, the overworked court was short a judge and waiting for the arrival of a new one appointed until the next election, and Presiding Judge Simon Huffington was Judge Jackass if you didn’t kiss his derriere, an artistry she hadn’t mastered. This break would do her good if she could just capture the right mindset—rejuvenation. Tahoe might help with that.
She closed her eyes and muttered, “Okay, I’ll do it.”
There was silence on the phone, and Tess thought maybe the call had been dropped. She pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the screen. The connection was still good.
Flo finally spoke. “Excellent. There’s hope for you yet. I’ll have Fred drop off the cabin key tomorrow morning on his way to his golf game. When will you leave?”
Tess instructed herself to be decisive, like she was in her professional life. “Tomorrow, so I don’t talk myself out of it.” There was no point in procrastinating. “I’ll try to get out of here between nine and ten o’clock—depending on what I get done tonight and how fast I’m moving in the morning.”
“I’ll email you the protocol for opening up and closing down, so that shouldn’t be an issue. The bedroom you stayed in last time is in the middle of recarpeting and repainting, so it’s not usable, but the primary bedroom has had a complete makeover including a new king-size bed, so it should be good to go for you and the feline sidekicks.”
Tess replied, “Got it. Thelma and Louise won’t complain about that big bed. Perfect for the three of us.”
