Chapter 14

APPEALED

LUCY

Jenner and I hadn’t talked much since I woke up to a hot cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll. His note was simple. Thank you. I enjoy every moment with you. J

I assumed we were back to not talking. Honestly, I couldn’t keep up anymore.

While the conference had been great, work hadn’t stopped while I was gone, so it had piled up on my desk. Cases that needed filed, cases that needed revoked, cases that needed reviewed. Motions. Briefs. More often than not, I spent my days overwhelmed. Every single child mattered to me. I remembered my Mimi telling me once that if all the fish in the ocean washed ashore, I should do everything I could to get them back into the water but know that there was no way to save them all. I knew that. But I was damn sure going to try.

A week had passed since our night at the hotel. I hadn’t seen Jenner at work, and he hadn’t texted. In theory, neither had I. But, as far as I was concerned, the ball was in his court. Walking up the three flights of stairs to my apartment was the extent of exercise I was getting these days. The moment I stepped into the hallway, the sweet smell of Midge’s handiwork was in the air, bringing with it a smile that spread from cheek to cheek.

The undeniable smell of vanilla wafted up my nose as I slid the key into the deadbolt. Midge was the only person who had a key to my apartment. Tears nipped at my eyes when I spotted the pot simmering on the stove and what looked like glazed vanilla scones on a platter. God, I love that woman.

The night came and went without a word from Jenner…again. I tried to brace myself for the growing hurt in my chest. I wasn’t typically a skeptic—but with regards to Jenner—I was either a cynic or a realist. Maybe both. It was what it was. I’d be forever indebted to him for his help with Pops.

The following morning at work, one of the legal interns met me with paperwork from Chicago Police Department. After reading over the police report about a six year old girl who’d been sexually abused from her nineteen-year-old stepbrother, I darted straight to my office to start the Ex Parte paperwork. This wasn’t on my list of things to do—but took priority over everything. That was the thing about child in need of care work…certain cases took precedence.

As I entered the information into the system, my personal phone buzzed. I glanced at the lit screen, glanced back at my computer, then quickly back to the phone. Jenner!

My heart revved as I resisted the impulse to scream in elation. I unlocked my phone and touched the screen to open the text. My smile quickly faded.

Stop what you’re doing and come to my office.

Cautiously, I glanced around. No one saw me looking at my phone. There was no reason not to get up and go, yet I stayed glued to my seat. Frozen. His text gave no hint. Was it good? Was it bad? There was no way in hell he’d do a single sexual thing in that entire building…so office sex wasn’t optional.

Surely this wasn’t about Pops. My desk phone rang and the caller ID read Judge Weber. Suddenly, I felt sick. With shaky hands, I picked up the receiver. The courthouse was across the street.

“What’s wrong?” I whispered.

“I need you to stand up, leave your office and come straight to mine. Am I clear?”

“Judge, please. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Lucy. Do as I said, ok?”

He said Lucy. Not Ms. Edwards. This was personal. I didn’t wait for another word. I hung up the phone, slid on my jacket, grabbed a random folder off my desk and casually left my office. At the elevator, I poked the button, trying to maintain composure but on the inside, I was coming apart. This was serious. Someone knew something. We were in trouble. That had to be it.

Once inside the courthouse, I rode another elevator to his floor. The elevator moved slower than I’d ever recalled, and as I stepped off, Deb, the guardian ad litem was there wiping her tears.

“You ok?” I honestly didn’t want to get distracted, but I couldn’t not ask.

She shook her head. “Yes. It just makes me sad. I wish I would have listened to you.”

“Listened to me? What are you talking about it?”

“You don’t know?”

I shrugged.

“Paige Engle was killed.”

Engle. Engle. Engle. My mind ran through my cases, then recognition settled in. My knees buckled, and thankfully, the wall was close. She’d killed her. Her mother had killed her.

“Ms. Edwards?” Jenner’s voice jarred me. Both Deb and I watched him walk slowly in our direction. His strained expression focused on me. The composure I fought to maintain just minutes before faded as my face crumbled.

“How?” I whispered.

“I’ve got this, Ms. Scheels,” Jenner said coldly.

Deb hugged me. “I’m sorry, Lucy.”

Over her shoulder and through blurred eyes, I could only focus on Jenner. I didn’t want to cry in front of him. My splotchy face and red nose were inevitable, however. His disheveled appearance surprised me. It looked as if he had run his hands through his hair a hundred times. His tie was loose.

Deb stepped on the elevator, leaving us alone in the hallway. I pushed away from the wall and moved toward him.

“How did it happen?”

He shook his head, raking his fingers through his hair again. His shoulders slumped. “I went to the emergency room last night when I got the call. Mother brought her in unconscious.” His tired eyes darted up to mine. “They’re doing an autopsy.”

When his voice cracked, I felt my chin tremble. Then suddenly, he wrapped me in a hug.

“Jesus, Lucy.”

Every bit of his professional façade and mine was thrown to the wind with the emotion we felt. I fell apart in his arms as his tight embrace apologized a thousand times over.

Somewhere in my mind, I heard the ding, but it wasn’t until Jenner’s body stiffened and his arms fell to his side that I noticed a tall, blonde standing behind me. The woman from the bar. My boss, Hope had said. Perfect, what a great first impression.

“Judge Weber. I heard you lost one,” she commented with snootiness to her tone.

“Ms. Watkins, this is Lucy Edwards. She’s the ADA on the case.”

With her fingertip, she touched my nose. “Oh. Poor girl. I don’t think we’ve met. Daryanne Watkins. I’m the Chief ADA. And I’m not sure if you’re aware, but ethically, hugging the judge is a big no-no.”

“Daryanne. Enough. She was upset about the child.” Jenner turned to me. “Ms. Edwards, please go to my office. I’ll be there shortly.”

This woman was my boss? I blotted my tears with my sleeve.

“Ms. Watkins,” I cleared my throat and spoke. “I recommended that this child remain in out of home placement.”

“That’s correct,” Jenner added. “It was my decision to return the girl home.”

The woman swatted her hand his way not even giving me a look. “Please, you have judicial immunity. We will somehow get this blamed on the supervising agency. Besides, all judges have a dead baby on their caseloads.”

“What?” I asked.

“Ms. Edwards. Go to my office,” Jenner demanded.

Angry, frustrated, sad…I spun around and headed toward Jenner’s office.

When I rounded the corner, I heard her ask, “Hugging her in the hallway, Jenner? That means fucking her behind closed doors.”

Immediately, I stopped walking.

“I’m not doing this with you, Daryanne. But, no, I’m not fucking her, and honestly, green doesn’t suit you.”

“Fuck off, Jenner. If you are fucking her, she’s as good as fired.”

My jaw fell slack. Who the hell was this woman?

“Fire away. Nothing you do will get me back in your bed.”

Fire away? It was as if a steel knife sliced my windpipe, blocking air from going either way. The wall stabilized me once again until he hustled around the corner, nearly careening into me. His beautiful jawline hardened.

“Ms. Edwards. Please go to my office like I’ve asked.”

For the first time since I’d gotten his text, I was reminded of where we were. Nothing should take precedence over that. That was of the utmost importance. My heart longed for first place, but it would have to settle for second. And my mind, it couldn’t keep up with any of this.

The sad, confused fog wasn’t broken by Jenner’s presence. When he opened the doors to his division, his assistant thankfully, wasn’t there. I sighed.

“Come on,” he said, breezing past me into his office. He stopped at the door, waiting for me to comply, then rested his hand at the small of my back before he closed the door behind us.

“You will have no legal responsibility with regards to the respondent, Lucy.”

“Her name is Paige. Was Paige.” Tears brimmed my eyes as I sat. “And it sounds like you won’t either.” I hoped the terseness in my tone was evident.

He released a pent-up breath, clawing at his hair, then collapsed in a chair opposite me. “I’m sorry for what happened to her, Lucy,” he whispered; his eyes burrowed into my soul.

“That respondent,” I hissed throwing up air quotes. “Was a little girl who depended on me. On you. On us to keep her safe. We failed her, Jenner.” I shot up out of my chair as the tears spilled over.

“Look. I know you’re upset, Lucy. I get it. But I have to follow the law. I don’t know how many times I have to say that to you.” Jenner sat against his desk, crossing his feet at the ankles.

“The law protects the parents not the children. You had a child to protect. To keep out of the hands of her mother. You failed.”

I wanted to hurt him with my words.

“Lucy. If I’d have sided with you, I would have been appealed.”

“So. The fuck. What!” I raised my voice, and he shot upright glaring at me. “Maybe the child wouldn’t have been killed while being appealed!”