Page 64 of Ancient Obsession

“Good morning, young man,” he said in a booming voice.

Dave stood again. “Oh, um. Good morning, sir. Um, Your Honor, sir.”

He laughed. “I’m Judge Bernard Harper. You’re here for Oliver Berridge?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

The judge patted Dave’s shoulder. “First bail arraignment?”

Dave’s breath rushed out, leaving him with shaky legs as he managed a smile. “Yes, sir.”

“No firing squad here.”

“Bernie…” the woman said without looking up from the paperwork she was assembling.

“Just a judicial joke,” Harper said with a wink, then turned toward the woman. “How’s our schedule today, Claudia?”

While they talked about hearing times and court proceedings, Dave sat again. The sound of a door toward the back of the house caught everyone’s attention. Judge Harper turned to Dave.

“Sounds like Mr. Berridge has arrived.” He waved toward a doorway Dave guessed led to what had once been the home’s living room. “Have a seat inside. We’ll get things started right quick.”

Dave entered the room. Two rows of metal-framed chairs were lined up with an aisle down the middle, all facing a large wooden desk arranged in front of a brick fireplace. He chose a seat in the front row. He ran his palms up and down his thighs.

The front door opened, and more people stopped to speak to Claudia. The new arrivals, a man and a woman, entered the hearing room and chose seats on the opposite side of the room from Dave. The man met Dave’s gaze and gave him a nod.

A short time later, Judge Harper entered the room. He wore a black robe and carried a coffee cup.

“Good morning, everyone,” he said as he ambled down the middle aisle, the material of his robe making whisking sounds. “We’ll try to get everyone heard and out of here as quickly as possible. You can help me move this process along by being respectful, speaking only when addressed by myself, an officer of the law, or Claudia. Just because we aren’t in a traditional courtroom does not mean this is not a legitimate legal proceeding.” He sat in a padded office chair and pulled himself up to the desk. Looking at all of them, including four people who had just taken their seats near the back, the judge raised his thick white eyebrows. “Is that clear?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Dave and the others all said together.

“Very good. This might be a good day yet. All right, who are we kicking things off with, Claudia?”

“Oliver Berridge, Your Honor,” Claudia called from the entryway.

Dave’s pulse jumped. A light sheen of sweat broke out across his lower back. He turned in his chair and watched as a patrol officer led Oliver down the center aisle. The hard edge of the chair’s frame bit into his palm. The vinyl seat squeaked as he shifted position. Oliver’s hands were cuffed behind his back, and dark circles shadowed his eyes, but he still wore his clothes from the night before. When he saw Dave, he smiled, but it looked forced.

The officer had Oliver stand to one side of the judge’s desk, then took a couple of steps back. Dave tried to pay attention to what the judge said, but the blood pounding in his ears and his brain glitching between online and offline made it difficult. He was able to make out the phrases “first time offender,” and “no eyewitnesses,” before the judge stated, “Bail set at $100,000,” and smacked his gavel.

Another rush of emotion swept through Dave. $100,000 was so much. But all he had to pay today was ten percent of it. He had $10,000, and he was prepared to run to the bank. It would get done, but the fact that he needed to do it at all felt so unreal.

As Oliver was led away, he glanced over, eyes wide. Dave started to follow, but Judge Harper called his name.

“Mr. Berridge is being taken back to the holding cell at the police department. In twenty-four hours, he will be transferred to county jail if you don’t post bail. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Your Honor. I’m going to the bank now.”

“Very good. See Claudia on the way out, she’ll explain what’s needed.”

“Yes, Your Honor. Thank you.”

Dave approached Claudia as she called out a new name, and then he dodged to the side to get out of the path of an officer marching another prisoner to go before the judge. The front door opened to admit several more people. It was all just one long process.

He took a breath and stopped in front of Claudia. “What do I do next?”

After what felt like days, Oliver finally emerged from the Glenmont police station. Dave met him halfway between the car and the station. He pulled Oliver into a crushing hug and buried his face in Oliver's neck. He smelled like fear-sweat and industrial cleaner.

"I'm sorry," Oliver said into his shoulder.