Flight （n.） – Olivia
FLIGHT (N.):
RUNNING AWAY OR HIDING BY A PERSON OFFICIALLY ACCUSED OF A CRIME WITH THE APPARENT INTENT OF AVOIDING ARREST OR PROSECUTION.
OLIVIA
A Couple Days Later
There’s a premium BMW for rent at the airport.
Liam (for now…)
Why are you telling me this?
Because you’ll eventually want to go home & you can drive yourself…
I can pick it up for you if you like.
I wouldn’t.
You can take me home tonight.
I really need to leave at nine.
Then we’ll leave at nine…
Butterflies fluttered in my chest as I double-checked my black leather briefcase.
I still couldn’t believe he’d bought me six different ones from Dolce & Gabbana.
“Wish me luck on my exam today.” Lindsay waved at me from the kitchen. “If I pass, I’ll be one step closer to sticking veins and massaging men’s prostates without supervision.”
“I thought you were hoping to be an OBGYN nurse.”
“That was until I witnessed my first childbirth up close and in person this week.” She winced. “It was a horror show and I never want to see it again.”
“Come on, you’re exaggerating.”
“I never knew our vaginas could open that wide.” She held out her arms. “Her hole was big enough to take ten dicks—at the same time.”
“Good luck on your exam, Lindsay.” I held back a laugh. “I’ll see you later.”
I rushed downstairs and to the parking lot.
“Miss! Miss!” A brunette shouted at me as I approached my car. “Miss, wait!”
I looked over my shoulder, certain she was talking to someone else, but there was no one out here but me.
“Hi, there!” She moved closer and extended her hand to me. “Oh, I just love that bag! It’s beautiful!”
“Thanks.” I smiled. “Do you need directions or something?”
“No.” She slid a hand into her pocket, pulling out a business card. “I’m Sylvia Castwell with The New York Times. I couldn’t help but notice that you work in Judge Ashton’s office.”
“How did you notice that?”
“I’ve just seen your car there a lot over the weeks.” She smiled. “And now it’s here.”
“So, you followed me.”
“You don’t have to talk to me on the record if you don’t want to, but I could really use your help for my article.”
My smile immediately faded.
Women like her were journalists at their worst, and their slimy tactics gave us all a bad name.
“You do work for Judge Ashton, right?”
I didn’t answer, and she pulled out a recorder as if I’d agreed to talk to her.
“Have you noticed Judge Ashton acting weird lately?” She leaned closer. “Trouble sleeping? Harsher than usual? Anything?”
Yes… “Not really.” I kept my face stoic. “Should he be?”
“He should be feeling like utter shit, I think,” she said. “At least, you could confirm that for me.”
“I don’t really work that closely with him,” I said. “Why should he be feeling like shit?”
“Because—” She lowered her voice as if there were other people around us. “Grant Jenkins, remember?”
Why is everyone so obsessed with this basic DUI case?
“It was a big DUI case a while ago, right?” I played dumb. “I heard it was overturned, but I’m super new to this job. Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She shook her head. “It’s actually good that you’re new. I could use someone not biased and on the inside, you know?”
I hope I never harassed anyone like this…
“Look.” She scribbled onto a pad. “If you could just subtly pry him this week on it and call me back, I’d appreciate it and I’d totally keep you off the record.”
“Pry him how?”
“Ask if he feels guilt for sentencing an innocent young man to jail, and then maybe—if you’re feeling super frisky—ask him if he feels dumb conflicted now that two jurors were bribed for voting guilty.”
“Um…” I crossed my arms, continuing to play dumb. “Even if two were bribed, doesn’t it take twelve unanimous votes?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “But apparently they were very pushy.”
“You’re not making any sense…”
“Judge Ashton refused to let them go home until they had a verdict,” she said. “I think they just gave in so they could leave…”
I blinked.
“He’s a dirty judge, and I know that this case will prove it,” she said. “Watch your back and call me whenever you can, okay?”
She rushed away as quickly as she appeared, and as much as I wanted to crumple her card and toss it into the wind, something told me not to.
I waited until I saw her drive away, and then I opened my briefcase and looked at my latest notes on the case.
Super harsh ruling but…five deaths.
Rich parents donated to prison library
Parents Swore Alcohol Test Was Tainted
Why Wouldn’t He Allow the Second Test in at Trial?
Nothing struck me as too out there, but then something he said a while ago crossed my mind.
“Because you didn’t look in the right place…”
Still, I didn’t believe he was dirty in the slightest, and there had to be something else at play here.
At least, I was hoping.
I picked up my phone and called my old hacker friend, Max.
“I was wondering when I was going to hear from you again.” There was a smile in his voice. “What do you want me to hack into today?”
“Judge Ashton’s phone records and emails for the three years before and after the Grant Jenkins case.”
“Are you out of your fucking mind?” He snapped. “You want me to get into a sitting judge’s emails?”
“Are you saying you can’t do it?”
“I’m saying it’ll take me about two weeks.”
“Thank you.”
“Ohhhh no you don’t.” Mara looped her hand in mine the moment I stepped into chambers. Then she led me in the opposite direction of my desk.
“What did I do?”
“Nothing at all,” she said. “But Judge Ashton isn’t having a good morning, so I’ve initiated Code: Black.”
“What does that mean?”
“Everyone works on the third floor today whenever we’re not in court.”
“Okay…” I furrowed my brow as she walked me into the hallway. “Is he sick or something?”
I held back on saying “He seemed fine when I was texting him earlier.”
“He’s dealing with a lot on his plate today.” She pulled out her phone and showed me the screen.
My jaw dropped as I read the front page of my former paper.
The Ugliest Case in This City Returns This Month—Along with the Ugliest Judge and His Tainted Gavel
“It’s from an opinion editor,” I said, remembering the woman’s byline. “Why the hell is it on the front page?”
“Because they think if they can create the smoke, Judge Ashton will lead them to a fire.”
“Is there one?”
“No, never.” She glared at me. “He’s the best judge in the world and you know that.”
I nodded.
“Play deaf and dumb if any of the parasitic press come around.” She shook her head. “They’re the shittiest people alive. No offense.”
“None taken.”
“Great! Make your way to the third floor. I’ll get whatever you need from your desk.”
I walked away and headed to the elevator.
Hey…You alright?
Am I still taking you home tonight?
He never texted me back.