8
As Laurie’s cab inched its way from Kendra’s home to the courthouse, she checked her watch, reassuring herself that she had time to spare.
Since today was such a special day, she had chosen to wear an outfit that Alex had never seen. It was a deep blue pantsuit. It was a color that suited her well, one that Alex always remarked on.
Laurie checked her makeup, then touched up her lipstick. On impulse she pulled her hair out of the ponytail and brushed it loose over her shoulders. She knew that Alex liked it better that way.
She was wearing her mother’s single-strand pearl necklace and the small diamond earrings that had been hers as well. How happy she’d be for me, Laurie thought, as the taxi stopped in front of the courthouse. Because of the traffic she had arrived only ten minutes before the ceremony. She was sure that Timmy and her father would be there already.
As Laurie expected, they were sitting on a bench outside the courtroom of Chief Judge Maureen Russell. Timmy jumped up when he saw her. “Grandpa was afraid you’d be late.”
“Never today of all days,” she said, smiling at her father.
Leo had always been concerned to a fault about being late for anything. There was a sheepish expression on his face. “I was just concerned about the traffic.”
“Uh-huh,” Laurie said. “Anyhow, where’s Alex?”
“Inside. The courtroom is filling up. Ramon brought enough hors d’oeuvres for the party in the conference room to feed the pope’s standing army.”
Ramon was Alex’s assistant, chef, and trusted confidant and insisted on calling himself the “butler.” He was also a gifted party planner who was bursting with pride over Alex’s nomination to the federal bench. Laurie had witnessed the whirlwind unfolding in the kitchen last night and could only imagine the extensive selections he would have prepared for today’s reception.
“God help the person who tries to get between Ramon and the perfect party,” Laurie said.
“I testified in front of Judge Russell once in a case that went federal, and she’s formidable,” Leo told her. “It will be interesting to see her in action today. She’s coming to the reception.”
The courtroom was already standing-room-only by the time Judge Russell came out of her chambers. Laurie knew that many of them were Alex’s fellow lawyers. He would miss the day-to-day interactions with them.
Alex’s younger brother, Andrew, had come up from Washington. He had been chosen to welcome everyone to the main event. Laurie knew how close he and Alex were. Their parents had been killed in an automobile accident when Andrew was nineteen and Alex twenty-one. Alex had become Andrew’s guardian, and he had taken that responsibility seriously. Laurie knew that Andrew’s remarks would be warm and personal. And they were.
When it was time for the swearing in, Laurie stepped forward to hold the Bible as Alex, his voice clear and solemn, took the oath of office and became a federal judge. When he finished, he leaned forward and kissed Laurie. After he thanked the judge, he said, “I am so grateful for this honor. But I must share with you the fact that no honor would have any meaning unless I was sharing it with my fiancée and soon-to-be wife, Laurie Moran.”
Five minutes after they left the courtroom, the family members and close friends who had been invited to the reception had filed into the conference room. The cocktail party was in full swing.
Laurie was chatting with several of the lawyers who had shared office space with Alex when one of them, Grant Smith, brought up a sensitive subject.
“I have to admit I was shocked when a criminal defense attorney went sailing through the confirmation hearings. I guess none of the senators lost money in the Newman scandal,” Grant said.
Laurie knew that Alex had been concerned that the public’s lingering anger about the case could have derailed his judicial confirmation. Alex had some regret that he’d managed to get an acquittal for Carl Newman, who had stood trial for bilking investors out of millions of dollars. But the detectives had mishandled the investigation. He had been doing his job as an attorney when he got key pieces of evidence thrown out. Even he was surprised when the jury acquitted Newman. In any case she thought it was unnecessary for Smith to bring it up now.
He’s jealous of Alex, Laurie thought. Afterward she would ask Alex if he thought the same thing.