once belonged to Charles L. McNary, one of the first justices to sit in the Supreme Court building and the running mate of Wendell Willkie in the Republican's unsuccessful 1940 bid to unseat Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The antique desk contrasted sharply with the abstract sculpture and paintings Justice Sherzer used to decorate her chambers.
"Your clerkship is almost over, isn't it?" the judge asked when Tracy was seated in a chair across the desk from her. "Yes."
"Do you have a job lined up?"
"I have several offers, but I'm not certain which one I'm taking."
"Justice Forbes asked me to find out if you're interested in something that's opened up."
"What is it?"
"Matthew Reynolds is looking for an associate."
"You're kidding!"
"One of his associates just went to the Parish firm and he needs someone right away."
"I don't believe this. Working with Matthew Reynolds is my dream job."
"It won't be easy, Tracy. Reynolds works his associates like dogs."
"You know I don't mind hard work."
"That's true, but with Reynolds we're talking slave labor. Most of his associates quit in less than two years."
"Thanks for the warning, but nothing can stop me from giving it a try, if Reynolds takes me on."
"I just want you to know what you're getting into. Reynolds lives at his law office. All he does is try cases and prepare for trial.
He works fourteen-hour days, seven days a week. I know that sounds improbable, but I'm not exaggerating. Reynolds has no social life. He doesn't even understand the concept. He'll expect you to be at his beck and call and that can be at any hour of the night and weekends. I've been told Matt can exist on four hours' sleep and they say you can cruise by his office at almost any hour and see a light burning."
"I'm still interested."
"There's another thing. He's never had a woman associate.
Quite frankly," the judge said with a bemused grin, "I'm not certain he knows what a woman is."
"Pardon?"
"I don't know why, but he seems to shun women as if they were carrying the plague."
"If he's never had a woman associate, why is he interested in me?"
The judge laughed. "He's not. Reynolds has hired several clerks from our court because he went to school with Justice Forbes and trusts his recommendations. Reynolds called Stuart in a dither when he heard we wanted to send him a woman, but Stuart assured him you wouldn't bite. So he's willing to talk to you. This is his office number. His secretary will set up the interview."
Tracy took the slip of paper. "This is fantastic. I don't know how to thank you."
"If it works out you can thank me by doing such a good job that Reynolds will hire another woman."
The library occupied most of the second floor of the Supreme Court building. The entrance was across from the marble staircase. A small glassed-in area with the checkout desk and an office for the librarians was directly in front of the doors. There were carrels on either side of the office. Behind the carrels, the stacks holding the law books stood two deep. A balcony overhung the stacks, casting shadows over the rows of bound volumes.
Laura Rizzatti was seated at a carrel surrounded by law books and writing feverishly on a yellow pad. When Tracy touched her on the shoulder, Laura jumped.
"You up for a coffee break?" Tracy asked. "I've got something fantastic to tell you."
"I can't now," Laura said, quickly turning over the pad so Tracy could not see what she was writing.
"Come on. A fifteen-minute break won't kill you."
"I really can't. The judge needs this right away."
"What are you working on?"
"Nothing exciting," Laura answered, trying to appear casual, but sounding ill at ease. "What did you want to tell me?"
"I've got an interview with Matthew Reynolds. He needs an associate and Justice Forbes recommended me."
"That's great," Laura said, but the enthusiasm seemed forced.
"I'd give my right arm to work with Reynolds. I just hope I make a good impression. Justice Sherzer says he's never had
The antique desk contrasted sharply with the abstract sculpture and paintings Justice Sherzer used to decorate her chambers.
"Your clerkship is almost over, isn't it?" the judge asked when Tracy was seated in a chair across the desk from her. "Yes."
"Do you have a job lined up?"
"I have several offers, but I'm not certain which one I'm taking."
"Justice Forbes asked me to find out if you're interested in something that's opened up."
"What is it?"
"Matthew Reynolds is looking for an associate."
"You're kidding!"
"One of his associates just went to the Parish firm and he needs someone right away."
"I don't believe this. Working with Matthew Reynolds is my dream job."
"It won't be easy, Tracy. Reynolds works his associates like dogs."
"You know I don't mind hard work."
"That's true, but with Reynolds we're talking slave labor. Most of his associates quit in less than two years."
"Thanks for the warning, but nothing can stop me from giving it a try, if Reynolds takes me on."
"I just want you to know what you're getting into. Reynolds lives at his law office. All he does is try cases and prepare for trial.
He works fourteen-hour days, seven days a week. I know that sounds improbable, but I'm not exaggerating. Reynolds has no social life. He doesn't even understand the concept. He'll expect you to be at his beck and call and that can be at any hour of the night and weekends. I've been told Matt can exist on four hours' sleep and they say you can cruise by his office at almost any hour and see a light burning."
"I'm still interested."
"There's another thing. He's never had a woman associate.
Quite frankly," the judge said with a bemused grin, "I'm not certain he knows what a woman is."
"Pardon?"
"I don't know why, but he seems to shun women as if they were carrying the plague."
"If he's never had a woman associate, why is he interested in me?"
The judge laughed. "He's not. Reynolds has hired several clerks from our court because he went to school with Justice Forbes and trusts his recommendations. Reynolds called Stuart in a dither when he heard we wanted to send him a woman, but Stuart assured him you wouldn't bite. So he's willing to talk to you. This is his office number. His secretary will set up the interview."
Tracy took the slip of paper. "This is fantastic. I don't know how to thank you."
"If it works out you can thank me by doing such a good job that Reynolds will hire another woman."
The library occupied most of the second floor of the Supreme Court building. The entrance was across from the marble staircase. A small glassed-in area with the checkout desk and an office for the librarians was directly in front of the doors. There were carrels on either side of the office. Behind the carrels, the stacks holding the law books stood two deep. A balcony overhung the stacks, casting shadows over the rows of bound volumes.
Laura Rizzatti was seated at a carrel surrounded by law books and writing feverishly on a yellow pad. When Tracy touched her on the shoulder, Laura jumped.
"You up for a coffee break?" Tracy asked. "I've got something fantastic to tell you."
"I can't now," Laura said, quickly turning over the pad so Tracy could not see what she was writing.
"Come on. A fifteen-minute break won't kill you."
"I really can't. The judge needs this right away."
"What are you working on?"
"Nothing exciting," Laura answered, trying to appear casual, but sounding ill at ease. "What did you want to tell me?"
"I've got an interview with Matthew Reynolds. He needs an associate and Justice Forbes recommended me."
"That's great," Laura said, but the enthusiasm seemed forced.
"I'd give my right arm to work with Reynolds. I just hope I make a good impression. Justice Sherzer says he's never had
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