Page 35 of Keep Quiet

“Mom.” Ryan rolled his eyes. “Please don’t start with that again.”

Pam burst into laughter. “Okay, but as I was saying, the other system of the judiciary is federal, which decides questions of federal law.”

“Is one better than the other?” Ryan asked, sitting back down.

“Well, more important matters come before the federal bench. Questions of antitrust law, banking law, constitutional law, and First Amendment law, all sorts of big, complex questions.” Pam grinned. “Really cool stuff.”

“So it’s a big deal,” Ryan said, with a shaky smile.

“Yes,” Pam answered, beaming. “And another cool thing about it is that federal judges are appointed under the Constitution, forlife.I never have to run for election again. That means no more county fairs, no more funnel cakes and hot dogs, no dairy and goat shows, no more sucking up to every petty potentate so I can do some good in this Commonwealth.”

Jake felt happy for her, but it was still hard to smile. He kept thinking of that news photo, with the body bag. Inside was Kathleen, whom they had killed. He tried to get his act together.

“But guess what, there’s no pay raise. On the contrary, I have to take a paycut.” Pam snorted. “You know how you’ve heard me say Pennsylvania judges are among the top paid in the country? Believe it or not, a federal district judge makes fifteen grandlessthan I make now.”

“Really?” Jake was surprised. Pam made good money as a Superior Court Judge, but they didn’t talk salary in front of Ryan, so he didn’t ask her for an exact number. He didn’t care anyway, not really, not anymore. He was a financial planner who was learning that money wasn’t as important as he’d always thought. “So what happens now?”

Pam smiled up at him. “They nominate me, then I have to go before a Senate committee.”

“Mom, you mean like inWashington, D.C.?” Ryan asked, surprised. “That’s baller, G.”

“Yes, exactly.” Pam chuckled. “It’s a federal appointment, and it has to go through the Senate. It’s a long process, like years, and it’s very political, but in the end, I’ll be there forever.” She leaned over the counter to Ryan. “But listen, honey, you can’t tell anyone. It’s confidential. Don’t say anything to any of your friends, the team, or your teachers.”

Jake cringed at the irony. Ryan was keeping a wonderful secret to protect his mother and an awful secret to protect his father.

Pam continued, “Monday or Tuesday, they’ll press-release that Judge Medova is stepping down, but they won’t announce that I’m on deck until the preliminaries are wrapped up. The FBI has to come interview me and you guys, too. They do an in-depth background check of the family.”

Jake felt his heart stop. He had no idea what that would involve, but he was instantly worried about Ryan and he could see the blood draining from his son’s face.

“Mom, theFBI? Why do they have to interviewme?”

Pam chuckled again. “Don’t worry, honey. It’s just procedure. You’ll do fine.”

Ryan’s lips parted. “But why do they have to investigate us? And what do they do, like, exactly?”

“Honey, don’t sweat it. It’s more for Dad and me. The FBI wants to find out if we do anything illegal, like hire illegal aliens or pay the cleaning lady under the table. But we don’t do that, and we never would.”

“But what do they do?”

“They talk to you, is all.” Pam waved him off, airily. “They do it for security reasons, and to avoid any surprises that might come up during the confirmation process, embarrassing everyone and putting a kibosh on my nomination.”

Jake put on his best reassuring smile. “Ryan, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Pam bubbled over, beaming. “Of course there isn’t, honey. I say we celebrate! Your father and I are having champagne, and you can have a ginger ale.”

“Great idea.” Jake winked at Ryan, trying vainly to lighten his mood. “I’ll get the champagne.”

“I’ll get the ginger ale.” Pam crossed to the refrigerator, glancing back at Ryan. “Don’t be such a nervous Nellie. We’ll pass with flying colors. After all, it’s not like we have anything to hide.”

Chapter Fifteen

Jake locked the front door, turned off the entrance-hall light, and walked to the staircase in darkness, heading up to bed. It was after midnight, and Pam had already gone upstairs, after Ryan and Moose. He and Pam had polished off a bottle of champagne, but it had only depressed his mood further. He started to climb the stairs, almost tripped over her high heels, then grabbed them on the fly and went up, leaning heavily on the banister.

He reached the second floor and bypassed the closed door to Ryan’s bedroom. His son needed sleep, and so did he. He made his way to his bedroom, slipped inside, and closed the door behind him. The room was empty, and he knew Pam was in the bathroom by the faint buzzing of her electric toothbrush. He brought her shoes to her closet, where he dropped them on the rug, catching a glimpse of her at her sink.

Pam’s back was to him, and she was bent over, rinsing her mouth, in a lacy black bra and tan bikini panties. His eyes traveled her shapely body, from the exposed nape of her neck to the cleft of her back, taking in the dimples above the lacy edge of her panties and coming to rest on her ass, which was perfect. In any other mood, Jake would have been turned on, but tonight he felt like the lowest of the low. Only hours ago, he’d met with a criminal lawyer and made a corrupt bargain with their son.

What are the odds that you’d get away with it?

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