Page 5 of Judgments of Fire and Desire

“Yeah. I will. I can’t afford to forget again.”

“Forget what?”

We both turned around to see Judge Temmons entering the chambers. She and I were sharing a chamber for now. I glanced at Tyson to see he was staring at me. Out of all the people I worked with, I knew he had my back at all costs. I wasn’t sure about her. However, I shared what we were discussing anyway.

“I’ve gotten two threatening letters in the past week. The one I got today is more disturbing and urgent though. I have to be sure to report it.”

Her eyebrows lifted slightly. “Like, threatening to kill you? I would say that’s pretty serious.”

“Yeah. I get them a lot. It’s the nature of the job. I turn them in, and nothing ever really comes of it. These seem more organized. They aren’t just someone trying to scare me.”

“Well, if you don’t have a case this morning, I would go and take care of that immediately.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I don’t have a case until this afternoon, and I briefed myself on it at home already. I’m gonna head back to Beaumont now.”

They nodded as I grabbed my things and headed back out. As I did, I received a text. Checking it, I saw a message from the DA. I frowned slightly because he rarely texted me. I stopped walking and checked it to see,Have you seen the headlines?

I frowned slightly. I didn’t have the slightest clue what he was referring to. Just the fact that they had me all the way in Nederland had me out of the loop. Nederland was only fifteen to twenty minutes from my end of Beaumont, but it was far enough away from the Beaumont Municipal Courthouse to receive delayed information.

When my phone rang and I saw Tyson’s number, I answered. “Hello?”

“A warrant was issued for Darlene.”

I frowned. “The mayor?”

“Mm hmm. Money laundering. Guess whose court she will most likely see?”

“Shit. This is going to be an entire shit storm.”

“Yep. The district attorney will probably be reaching out.”

“He already did. Let me call you back.”

I got into my car and quickly made my way to Beaumont. I couldn’t believe this. Darlene Doll was extremely kind and likeable by everyone. I didn’t understand how she could do something like this and ruin her reputation. Theloveof money was definitely the root of all evil. When attaining money could entice you to commit all sorts of evil acts was when it became a problem. Darlene Doll just didn’t seem like the type to be easily influenced that way. There had to be more to that than what we knew.

However, I wasn’t her criminal defense attorney. My job would be to sentence her if she was found guilty by a jury of her peers once the facts were all presented. However, if her attorney did his or her job, they would be able to find out if there was more to the situation, especially if Mayor Doll cooperated.

When I got to the police station, things were in an uproar. The media was everywhere and so were police officers. Once I parked, I went in through a back entrance, nearly running into Carl, the district attorney. He gave me a slight smile. “I suppose you got my message.”

“Yeah. I was already on my way here. This is insane.”

“It is.”

I walked past him, doing my best not to interact too much. I didn’t want anyone to say I was being swayed one way or the other, especially if this trial would be coming to my court. Although what I had could have been given to him, I chose to go to a detective. When I got to Detective Johnson’s desk, she stared up at me for a moment. I wasn’t sure what that was about, but she stood and said, “How can I help you, Judge?”

“I needed to turn in these threats that have been left on my vehicle. One was from last week and the other was from today.”

She nodded as I pulled them from my pocket. When I handed them to her, she immediately unfolded them and read what they had to say. Her eyebrows lifted, just as Judge Temmons’s haddone. “Do you have any idea of who this could be? Any recent run-ins with anyone?”

“I’m a criminal court judge that doesn’t take shit off anybody. What that tell you?”

“That it could be anybody. We’ll look into it, Judge Patrick. I’ll keep you updated.”

I nodded and turned to walk away until she called out, “Judge.”

I turned back to her, and she said, “I heard this circus is coming to your court. I know you will handle it well. You’re by the book, and that’s what this trial will need.”

I nodded once again. “Thank you.”

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