Page 7 of Dirty Judge

“But...” I slowly moved. “They searched at the doors when I arrived already.”

“Well, now I’m going to do it again.”

“I’m writing a letter to all of your managers whenever I get out of here…”

She ignored my comment and gently slid her hands along the outside of my pants. Then she moved her hands up my sides before patting down my head.

“All clear.” She yelled out. “Open the door.”

Beep!

The door opened, revealing a room of women sitting in white and blue plastic chairs. Only a few of them looked as terrified as I felt.

“You picked one of the worst days to mess up.” The officer unlocked my handcuffs. “Move toward the desk station on your left for your fingerprints and your photo.”

Before I could ask if that was really necessary, she rushed across the room.

“Stop eating your goddamn fingernails, Becky!” she shouted at a woman in all-purple. “You keep it up, and I’m putting you in a suicide vest.”

I’m not going to ask any more questions today…

“Right here, Miss Spencer.” A brunette officer motioned for me to move forward. “Please spell out your full name and confirm your date of birth.”

I rattled off the letters and numbers, glancing over at the large list of rules that was painted on the wall.

No talking to fellow inmates

No extra phone requests

No fighting

No contraband

My fingers trembled as the officer pressed each one against an ink pad and a scanner. Then she instructed me to look straight ahead into a black lens.

“Keep your expression just like that and hold still, please…”

A blinding bright flash followed, and I blinked several times to recover.

“Okay, Miss Spencer.” She handed me a ticket. “You can now take a seat in blue seat seventy-two and wait until you’re called to the courtroom.”

“Thank you.” I moved toward the group and realized my seat was next to the fingernail biter.

The woman glared at me as if I’d done something to her. Then she whispered, “First time?”

I nodded.

“It’s my tenth,” she said. “Just play like you’re insane and they’ll let you go, okay?”

Too scared to break a rule, I nodded again.

“Take my advice…” She brought her sandaled foot up to her mouth. One by one, she sucked her toes into her mouth.

I swallowed the surge of bile rising up my throat and looked straight ahead.

It was only ten-thirty, so I hoped to be out of here and in front of a judge by noon.

The digital clock flashed twice to announce the four o’clock hour, treating me to my three hundredth minute of confusion.