Page 17 of Bears Behaving Badly
“Hush up, Dev.” To David, in growing confusion and despair: “What is goingon?”
“Nothing good.”
1“Head of the family,” unique to Shifters. Stables use the termparens patriae, and minors in need of protection are considered wards of the state.
Chapter 7
Judge Gomph would have dominated the room even if he wasn’t seated above them on the bench. He weighed three hundred, easily, with brown skin that looked gray under unforgiving fluorescents and a wide, wrinkled face. His broad frame made it look as though someone had flung a robe over a mahogany table, and he was methodically eating salad out of what appeared to be a bucket, his big fork spearing leaves and bringing them to his mouth with such steadiness it was almost hypnotic. He was overworked, even for a juvie judge, and his stamina was legendary. When they’d lost two judges in the same month, Gomph had gone four days without sleep, wading through the jammed dockets with calm efficiency that steadied them all, from his clerk to even the smallest cubs who came through his court.
He had a reputation for never being rattled—no one had ever heard him so much as raise his voice—and this was borne out today. When they had burst into his courtroom, he had looked down at them with the eyes of a tired king, as Nadia once described them, but waited patiently for their approach. And speak of the well-dressed devil…
“Nadia, what—agh!”
Nadia’s spade-shaped fingernails had sunk into Annette’s biceps like a raptor on a rabbit as she leaned in to hiss, “She’s gone.”
“Please tell me you’re not talking about Caro,” Annette whispered back, knowing it was futile. That was, after all, the kind of day they were having. Were trapped in. Whatever.
“Of course I’m talking about Caro!”
“What are we whispering about?” This from Taryn, Gomph’s clerk, who had crept over, probably because Annette had been too frazzled to return her wave. Annette made it a policy to return all waves, even ones to mortal enemies, which Taryn was not. “Are you guys okay?”
“You wouldn’t even believe it,” Annette whispered back. “I was there and I don’t believe it.”
“Oh. That sounds bad. Hi, David.”
He nodded. “Hey, Taryn.”
“Annette and I are going for burgers again,” Taryn whispered. “Want to come?”
“You didn’t learn your lesson last time? Meat makes you sick as shit.”
“So that’s a no?”
“Taryn, again: veggie burgers,” Annette urged. “Seriously. Try one.”
“I have. Why do you think I won’t order them? Yuck, yuck, yuck.”
There was some pointed throat-clearing, and they all looked up at the bench as Taryn hustled back to her spot to the left of the judge.
“Sorry!” Dev said with a grin for the impassive, massive judge. “We’re sorry, Your Honor. But we almost just got creamed, so the ‘adults’ are freaking out.”
“I heard those air quotes, you wretch,” Nadia hissed. “And intelligent concern is not ‘freaking out.’”
“It’s not like any of you to make such a dramatic entrance,” Judge Gomph rumbled.
Nadia looked up at the bench. “Then I’m clearly doing something wrong, Your Honor.”
Annette cut in before Nadia could elaborate or start fishing for compliments. “I beg your pardon, Your Honor. Something unprecedented in my career has happened. I respectfully request that you clear the courtroom of everyone except you, me, Ms. Faulkner, Mr. Auberon, Ms. Wapiti, and Mr. Devoss.”
As that left only five people, two of whom were dozing, the judge blinked, chewed, shrugged. “Very well.” At that, Taryn surged to her feet and had the place cleared in fewer than ten seconds.
It didn’t take long for Annette to explain what had happened—what wasstillhappening. Gomph was about as easy to read as theBook of Kells, but Taryn looked gratifyingly horrified.
“Sir, I don’t understand any of this, but I promise you, I will find out what is happening,” Annette said. “In the meantime, we have to keep these children safe, and I’m not sure the official system is the best way to do that right now.”
Munch. “Suggestions?”
She took a deep breath. “I’d like to take responsibility for Mr. Devoss asmater Pack, effective immediately, and once we have Ms. Daniels in custody again, I’d like to bring her before you to discuss options. We’ll also be working on identifying the driver in the garage, as well as their motive, and will be following up with Mr. Lund, among other things.”
