But it was Callie Baldwin who pushed her chair back a few inches and shocked Tess. “I nominate Theresa Fairchild.”
Tess did her best to show no reaction, but internally her stomach had just dropped. She suspected she could do the job, but she’d never aspired to the attention it would undoubtedly garner, along with an increase in interpersonal interactions which she’d always avoided.
“What the devil does Fairchild know about managing the court, overseeing the docket, the budget, issues that arise…” Huffington growled, not even looking at her. Then he glared around the table before stopping for a long moment on Callie.It was obvious he’d never considered this development. Tess hadn’t either.
When no further nominations were made, Helene rose from her seat behind Huffington to take over the administrative duties and handed out slips of paper to each judge. Tess’s breathing became a bit more labored. Bree’s leg drifted back into hers.
As soon as everyone had taken a moment to write a name on their paper, fold it, and place it in the box Helene used to collect them, the room fell silent. She sat and quietly unfolded each slip and looked at the writing on each. Helene hadn’t become the court executive officer without having mastered the art of being the professional that she was. When she was done, she asked, “Are you ready for the results?”
Tess watched the room full of judges nod as they waited for the verdict to be read. It crossed her mind that this was likely as significant a verdict to them all as any they’d heard in their courtrooms. She knew that her job had just taken a major shift—if she lost, Huffington would not forget and she’d suffer along with others in the room, and if she won, she’d be wading into a challenge she never would have chosen to pursue.
“The next presiding judge of the Corazon County Superior Court is…” Helene stopped and looked at Huffington, and then at Tess before she made the announcement. “With a majority count of four—the presiding judge will be Theresa Fairchild.”
Tess felt her life make a tectonic shift as Huffington threw his pen against the wall, shoved his chair back from the table, and stormed out of the room.
“Holy shit,” Callie said with a nod of her head. “That was a surprise.” Tess almost chuckled, but she knew that Callie didn’t mean Huffington’s tantrum. She meant the unexpected vote result that had just dramatically thrown Tess into this additional courthouse role.
Helene paused a moment before she continued. Tess couldn’t blame her. She had no idea how Tess would do in the role, as what was essentially her new boss. Tess wondered the same thing. She’d never aspired to be anyone’s boss, and God only knew how Helene perceived her. Probably a case of the devil you knew versus the devil you didn’t know.
“You still need to designate an assistant presiding judge today. If you have nominations, I’ll count the votes,” Helene said.
“I nominate Callie,” Eric said.
Callie sighed and nodded. Nobody else appeared interested, and the vote count came in with six votes for her, so it didn’t matter that Huffington was absent. The meeting was concluded.
Eric and Alan left soon after, and Vera stayed and made idle chit-chat for a few minutes, then also left. Tess walked out the door behind Bree and Callie. She reflected on how much her life had changed since she’d walked through that portal half an hour ago.
Bree knew that Tess had been back in her chambers for less than fifteen minutes when she knocked on her door and then entered on Tess’s, “Come in.”
She might have planned to maintain a safe distance from Tess, but with this recent turn of events, Bree decided that it was a legitimate part of a professional relationship with the new presiding judge to congratulate Tess. She’d just have to try to ignore that surge of pleasure at what she’d decided was the professional justification for more time with Tess. They’d agreed to be friendly. Her renegade hormones, maybe even her mutinous heart, might be spouting off, but she was not going toallow any obvious happy dancing.
“Congratulations, from the novice judge to the new presiding judge.” Bree thought that greeting maintained distance and sounded professional. There wouldn’t have been the sincerity in her tone if she’d had to force herself to congratulate Huffington instead, but there was nothing wrong with sincerity. This shift in power was a good thing for the courthouse.
But then it struck Bree that maybe Tess’s new role added to their potential complications. It had just escalated the possibility for workplace challenges, including the potential for the appearance of impropriety and general workplace dynamic problems the two of them could face if they ever pursued a romantic relationship. How would the media spin Bree being assigned to preside over a high-profile case? Or what if other judges thought Bree was getting preferential treatment? Bree knew that consideration wouldn’t get past Tess either.
“You have no clue how I’ll do,” Tess said.
Bree wasn’t sure if Tess’s unsettled look was due to Bree’s arrival in her office or to the new leadership position Tess had just acquired. Maybe both.
“You’ll do fine.” Bree couldn’t keep herself from trying to soothe Tess, plus she’d told Tess that she was on her side, and Bree had no doubt that she was. Tess would be an excellent presiding judge. “As to what just happened back in that room, it feels like it deserves either reverence or trepidation. The hand of God or the wrath of Huffington.”
“Oh, not reverence. This was never in my plans.” Tess didn’t hesitate in her assessment.
“Well, watch your backside, Judge Fairchild.”
Tess suppressed a chuckle.Bree fought to shift her thoughts away from the recent memory of their Steam Stop teasing about Tess’s backside in the lounge. She cleared her throat and continued.
“Be careful,” Bree amended. “Huffington is pretty upset at his sudden loss of power.”
While Helene played a major role in the administration of courthouse duties such as administering the budget and setting up the court calendar with the random electronic assignment of court cases, it was under the oversight of the presiding judge. The presiding judge had final say in much of the court’s administration, and that meant Huffington had just lost a great deal of clout.
“Huffington…I’d really like not to get shot again.” Tess touched the left side of the front of her shirt and bit her lower lip.
“My brother Hank told me about the shooting. They never caught anyone?” Bree asked.
“Nope. It happened one night when I was heading to my car after a full day. About eight o’clock and it was dark. The lot was empty except for some movement I detected, and then I don’t remember anything else. I’ve got no clue if I was the target or collateral damage to something else.”
“I noticed that Bernard, the security officer, was walking you out the other night, so I guess you’re taking precautions to stay safe.” Bree realized that mattered to her.
