Page 37 of Dirty Judge

“So, we’re off on Saturdays and Sundays?”

“No, Miss Spencer,” she said. “You’ll be working on something else on those days. You won’t enjoy your first day off until you work here for at least three months.”

“Wait, what?”

“Didn’t you read your contract before signing it?”

Nope.“I’ll take another look at it.”

“Please do.” She smiled. “Anyway, Judge Ashton will usually give you a list of unique things to research on the weekends. It’s typically notes for upcoming cases that help him with rulings.”

“Why doesn’t he just let the lawyers state their case and rule from there?” I asked. “From what I remember, criminal judges aren’t required to do deep dives with so many cases…”

“Because this isNew York,Miss Spencer.” She looked at me like I’d grown two heads. “Lawyers are professional liars in suits, clients are sinful witnesses, and Judge Ashton is one of the most honest and non-dirty judges that we have left.”

So, she’s his personal sycophant…

“You’re going to learn a lot from him while you’re here.” She smiled. “And if you do a good job and decide to pursue law again, I’m sure he’ll write you one hell of a recommendation letter.”

I wouldn’t dare ask.“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Pay close attention to how I organize a docket,” she said. “I’ll walk you through the first ten, and then you’ll do the next fifty on your own.”

Mara

Good job on your first day, law clerks!

You all are free to go home now. See you tomorrow!

I looked at the time and groaned.

Eleven thirty p.m.

I shook my head. I hadn’t worked a fourteen-hour shift in years, and I knew this would take a long time—a ton of coffee—to fully adjust to.

Stuffing my new guides and folders into a bag, I turned off the lamp at my desk and headed for the parking lot.

“Miss Spencer?” Judge Ashton called out to me as I was rummaging for my keys.

“Yes?” I turned around to face him.

“How was your first day?”

“Long,” I said. “But very fulfilling.”

“I asked about your day, Miss Spencer, not your fantasies of me.”

“Excuse me?”

“I wanted to catch up with you about your real schedule while you’re here,” he said. “It’s important that you follow it as of tomorrow.”

“Can you rewind back to that previous sentence you said?”

“I don’t remember it.” The look in his eyes made it clear that he did. “Anyway, from here on out, you need to arrive here and clock in at five thirty.”

“A.m.?”

“It wouldn’t be p.m., Miss Spencer.”