Bree didn’t hesitate. Tess came before any CJP investigation. “Yes.”
“You know she was shot in the courthouse parking lot one night, over a year ago, and that the shooter was never identified?” Ned asked before he added, “I don’t think you’re in any danger, but you need to stay alert for your own safety too.”
“I know about her shooting,” Bree replied.
“Well, I can’t elaborate because I don’t know how it might fit into this investigation, but I can tell you that I’m confident that she’s not involved in any nefarious way.” Bree let out a sigh of relief at Ned’s words before he continued. She wouldn’t have believed that Tess was guilty of anything in a complaint, but she was glad to hear that Ned didn’t believe so either. “I don’t see an issue with you interacting with her as long as you keep our ongoing work confidential. Is that good enough?”
“Okay. But in addition, speaking of nighttime parking lot events, I was alone and approached a few nights ago in a café parking lot by a guy who tried to hand me a bag, to welcome me to town,” Bree replied. “He was careful to be vague, but I strongly suspect it was cash. He clearly knew I’m new to town. I reported it to Tess—that’s Judge Fairchild—and as presiding judge, she reported it and wrote up a report.”
“Whoa. No slacking on your part.”
“I’m not happy about it,” Bree replied.
“I need to tell you that we’re not cops or the criminal justice system. Criminal acts not covered by judicial misconduct wouldn’t fall to the Commission.” Ned paused and Bree waited for him to bring the conversation back to her incident and Tess’s. “A shooting is a criminal act. So is bribery to influence a case. But we might uncover the details of the crime during the course of an investigation of judicial misconduct.”
Bree chuckled. “Are you trying to convince me that both Tessand I might get some answers if I sign on?”
“I can’t make promises, but you know that everyone is better off if there aren’t…issues at your courthouse. Have you ever heard of the case, decades ago now, where well over a dozen judges were bribed for specific judicial outcomes? That probe expanded to include law enforcement when there was evidence of criminal activity.”
“We only have seven judges total, so smaller than that scope.” Not that Bree felt better with that declaration.
“Look, Bree. I know this isn’t easy. There are more people here than me working the complaints, so I’m hoping for some headway.” Ned chuckled before he added, “In that case I just mentioned, there was a prosecutor who was recruited as part of a law enforcement team who posed as a corrupt attorney and helped their investigation by taping conversations on a recorder concealed in his cowboy boots.”
“It’s my lucky day—I don’t own a pair of cowboy boots.”
“We could get you a pair.”
Bree had to shake her head. She’d already admitted she needed an award for the mess her personal life was in with Tess. And now this, her professional life. She hated to think she’d need to keep her role a secret from Tess, and that really bothered her, but if there was a chance that she could keep Tess from being hurt again, that mattered to her.
“Okay, Ned. I’m in.” She knew her tone probably didn’t convey the enthusiasm he might have preferred, but she was still processing all she’d just been told.
“I’m going to email you some phone numbers where you should be able to reach me almost any time, or you can leave a message. Thanks, Bree. We’ll talk soon.”
They hung up and Bree considered that Ned had just thrown dirt onto her hard-won new position that was supposed to be a bright spot in her life.
Chapter Twelve
Bree was sitting in the Grand Tavern with four of her fellow judges. There were several courthouse faces she recognized in the room, all unwinding at the end of the week. Vera Etson had invited her and made the arrangements. Alan, Eric, and Callie were in attendance at her table for the after-work gathering. Vera had explained to Bree that it was just a friendly Friday night get-together at the end of a long workweek in order for them to get to know her a bit better. Tess and Simon Huffington were absent, and she wasn’t sure if they’d declined or hadn’t been invited since this was all Vera’s doing. Appetizers and drinks had been delivered, so chatting, imbibing, and nibbling were well underway.
“I hear that Simon Huffington is going to retire next year. I wish I could too, but I’ve probably got another twenty years on my career sentence with an eight-year-old and a five-year-old translating to almost a decade of college tuition in another ten years, unless I win the lottery or rob a bank,” Eric said. “Simon’s an advertisement for bachelorhood. Sadly, I’ll never be driving an Aston Martin, not even at the top of my game.”
“Although he’s a bachelor, I don’t know how the guy can sink that much dough into four wheels,” Vera said. “I’ve got better things to sink my money into.”
“If you get caught robbing a bank, Eric, don’t end up in my court,” Callie added, “because I’ll throw the book at you. Getting caught translates to more work for the rest of us.”
“Hey, Vera. Do you have an advisor telling you what to sinkyour money into? I could sure use some help,” Alan said.
Vera took a long sip of her margarita as she looked at Alan over her glass. “There are all sorts of financial advisors out there. My sister-in-law is a hedge fund manager and took me under her wing as a special case because of DNA. I’m even doing some of my own investing these days.” Vera laughed. “Probably the smartest move my brother ever made, marrying her. And their kids stand to inherit my little fortune if I don’t spend it all first, but I’m working at enjoying some of the good things in life.”
“Hey, how does everyone think our new presiding judge is doing?” Alan asked.
Bree lifted her glass and took a sip of her daiquiri as an excuse to listen and not have to talk. She’d only bumped into Tess, who’d wanted to discuss courthouse business for a moment, in the hallway this week, and it was another week until the play at Gabby’s school.
“She seems to be settling into her new job,” Callie said. “I haven’t had any issues with her. She certainly isn’t the windbag that Huffington is. She’s as reserved as usual, but she seems to have the ship running smoothly. I’ll take restrained and efficient over hot air and pomp any day. That’s why I nominated her.”
Bree took a gulp of her drink. She ran the risk of choking, but at least she wouldn’t laugh as she reflected on the unrestrained Tess that she knew was lurking under that robe. These colleagues had no idea how alluring Tess could be when she let herself relax.
“What do you think, Bree,” Alan asked. “Any opinions on our new leader?”
