After Dark by Phillip Margolin Read Free Book Online Page A

a woman associate and it sounds like he doesn't have much use for females."
    "He hasn't met you yet." Laura smiled. "I'm sure you'll knock him dead."
    "I hope so. If you change your mind about coffee, I'm going in about twenty minutes. I'll even buy."
    "I really can't. And congratulations."
    Tracy walked across the library and located the volume of the New York University Law Review she needed. She took it to her carrel and started making notes. Half an hour later, she walked over to Laura's carrel to try to convince her to go for coffee. She was really excited about the job interview and wanted to talk about it.
    Laura wasn't at her desk. Tracy noticed the yellow pad on which Laura had been writing. There was a list of three criminal cases on it. Tracy studied the list, but could see nothing unusual about the cases. She wondered why Laura had turned over the pad to hide the list, then shrugged and went to look for her friend.
    Tracy searched the long rows of books until she came to the section that held the Oregon Court of Appeals reporters. Laura was at the far end of the stacks near the wall and Tracy was surprised to see that she was talking with Justice Pope. She and Laura had discussed Pope on several occasions and Tracy knew that Laura despised him. Tracy's initial impulse was to walk up to her friend and the judge, but there was something about the attitude of their bodies that stopped her.
    The space between the stacks was narrow and Laura and Pope were almost chest to chest. Laura looked upset. She moved her hands in an agitated manner when she spoke. Pope flushed and said something. Tracy could not hear what he said, because they were whispering, but the angry tone carried. Tracy saw Laura move away from the stocky judge until her back was against a bookshelf. Pope said something else. Laura shook her head. Then Pope reached up and touched Laura's shoulder. She tried to push his hand away, but the judge held her firmly. Tracy stepped into the aisle so Pope could see her. "Ready for coffee?" Tracy asked loudly.
    Pope looked startled and dropped his hand from Laura's shoulder.
    "Laura and I have to discuss a case. I hope you don't mind, Judge,"
    Tracy said, in a tone that let Pope know she had seen everything. Pope flushed. His eyes darted to Laura, then back to Tracy.
    "That's the," he said, stepping around Tracy.
    "Are you okay?" Tracy asked, as soon as Pope was out of sight.
    "What did you hear.>" Laura asked anxiously.
    "I didn't hear anything," Tracy answered, confused by the question. "It looked like Pope was coming on to you. Is he giving you a hard time?"
    "No," Laura said nervously. "He was just trying to find out how Bob . .
    . Justice Griffen was going to vote on a case."
    "Are you being straight with me.> Because you look pretty upset."
    "I'm okay, Tracy, really. Let's drop it."
    "Come on, Laura. I can help you, if you'll tell me what's bothering you."
    "How could you possibly help me.>" Laura exploded. "You have no idea what I'm going through."
    "Laura, I . . ."
    "Please, I'm sorry, but you'd never understand," Laura said.
    Then she edged away from Tracy and bolted out of the stacks.
    Tracy watched Laura go, stunned by her friend's reaction.
    "Laura wants to see you, Judge," Justice Griffen's secretary announced over the intercom. "Send her in."
    The judge was preparing for the noon conference and hoped that Laura had finished her research in a tax case the justices would be discussing.
    The door opened as Griffen finished signing a letter. He looked up when the door closed and started to smile.
    But the smile disappeared when he saw his law clerk's face. She appeared to be on the verge of tears.
    "We have to talk," Laura said with a trembling voice.
    Griffen stood up and walked around the desk. "What's wrong?"
    "Everything," Laura answered. "Everything."
    Then she started to cry.
    The conference room of the Oregon Supreme Court was spacious, with few furnishings aside from a large conference table and