CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The morning session didn’t end until twelve-forty and JJ, eager to get a break, hurried to his chambers. Reeva, his law clerk, hurried in behind him. His longtime secretary Ethel was about to tell him about his messages, but he held up his hand as he made his way to the bathroom. Where he promptly relieved himself. Then he made his way back into his office. Reeva was seated in front of his desk, her gorgeous legs crossed, her short dress revealing almost too much. They usually discussed the afternoon docket before they broke for lunch themselves. His secretary was also in his chambers, standing in front of his desk.
“How many?” JJ asked her as he went behind his desk.
“Just two,” said his secretary. “Artemus Kramer wants you to phone as soon as you can. He says he’s lined up a blind date for you.”
Ethel glanced at Reeva when she said those words. It was no secret to anyone in that courthouse that she had a thing for Judge Brant. But Reeva played it cool and did not return the secretary’s glance.
“Next?” JJ said as he stood behind his desk looking over his docket.
“A sergeant with the Scottsdale PD phoned. They said they’ve recovered your Mercedes.”
JJ looked at his secretary with a puzzled look. “Recovered it?”
This seemed to interest Reeva. “Had it been stolen?” she asked the judge.
But JJ was still looking at his secretary. “What do they mean they recovered it?”
“That’s all they said. I assumed you would know what they meant.”
“Was it in an accident?”
“No, sir, they didn’t say anything about an accident.”
“Did they say who was driving it?”
“They didn’t say the name, but they said they caught her.”
“A girl?” asked Reeva.
But JJ was stunned. “Those idiots!” he said out loud as he hurried from behind his desk. “Disperse my afternoon cases between Perillo and Bruce.”
“But Judge Bruce is getting off at two, sir,” Ethel said, flustered.
“Not today he isn’t. And if he complains, tell him it’s on my order,” said JJ as he headed for the exit.
“Is everything alright, sir?” Reeva called after him, but he was already racing out the door.
The flustered secretary looked at Reeva. “What was that about?”
But although Reeva might have wanted a close, personal relationship with the very eligible and attractive judge, she didn’t have one. At all. She didn’t know any more than anybody else knew about that matter.