I had to cut that scene short. Lindquist would need to learn; I didn’t play. “Miss Jones probably doesn’t remember me; it was a brief meeting, and I wasn’t wearing my robe.”
Eleanor Lindquist wouldn’t let it go. “Is that true, Nova? Do you remember meeting the judge or not?”
Nova lifted her eyes and briefly inspected me. “We go to Saturday breakfast sometimes. Mom says it’s at Missy Mary’s house. And Mama told me she was a judge. But she didn’t look like it. Not at the farm.” Nova lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “She just look like everybody else.”
“Yeah, it’s the robe that does it. Nice to see you again, Nova. I’ll let y’all continue your courtroom tour. I have some work to do in chambers.” I turned to go. Needed to escape before I snapped at the prosecution. I didn’t want to scare Nova a second time.
Didn’t make it through the door before I heard that woman call my name.
“Judge Stone, just a heads-up! General Winston’s going to be in town today. He’ll probably want to talk to you.”
Shitttt.Dick Winston was coming to sit his butt down in one of my office chairs. The prospect made me want to spit. I’d have to be polite. Smile when I really wanted to snatch him bald.
Goddamn Mondays.
CHAPTER
33
The offhand comment from Eleanor Lindquist was all the notice I received heralding the AG’s visit. He never let me know he was coming. No call from a secretary requesting an appointment.
Fortunately, I wasn’t fated to spend the whole day dreading his arrival. The attorney general sailed into Luna’s office right before we shut down for lunch.
My door was open, so I witnessed his entrance. Watched him flash a benevolent smile at my administrative assistant.
“Tell Judge Stone an old classmate of hers from University of Alabama is here.”
Luna wasn’t in on the game. I hadn’t alerted her. “Sir, it’s twelve o’clock. I’m about to lock up for the lunch hour. Do you have an appointment?”
I had to cover my mouth. Didn’t want him to see me grinning. I knew it was a blow to his ego when Luna didn’t recognize him on sight. The man thinks he’s a star, always has.
The schmoozing politician disappeared. His voice was tight when he replied. “I’m Dick Winston, the attorney general of thestate of Alabama. Go ask Judge Stone if she’ll spare me a moment of her valuable time.”
I was quick to come to Luna’s rescue. I rose from my chair, called through the door. “Luna’s just trying to keep me on schedule. Come on back, Dick. You don’t need an appointment to see me.”
Luna was flustered. She followed him, lingering in the doorway. “I’m really sorry, sir. For not knowing you right off.”
He didn’t speak, wouldn’t acknowledge her apology.Asshole.I wasn’t going to let him freeze out my hardworking clerk. I said, “Luna, Dick has been in politics for a long while. He doesn’t get his feelings hurt by folks who intend no insult. Do you, Dick?”
Dick unbuttoned his jacket before he sat down. Looked like he’d put on weight. “Certainly not.”
I gave Luna a nod. “Close the door behind you, please.”
Not because I was eager to be alone with the man. I wasn’t.
But I figured he’d come to deliver a message. And he probably didn’t want an audience to hear it.
He cleared his throat before he spoke. “Mary, I’m here to extend an olive branch. With regard to that telephone snafu. I hope you’re not upset by the governor’s slipup over the phone last spring. He’s a hotheaded guy, runs off at the mouth sometimes. Doesn’t mean anything by it.”
Sure, I could’ve made it easy on him. But I wasn’t disposed to. Tipped back in my chair, like I was thinking it over. “I wouldn’t say I’m upset, exactly.”
“Good, that’s good to hear. But I did want to clear the air, just in case.”
Deadpan, I said, “Sure. It’s always good to clear the air.”
“You’re not the sensitive type. Hell, I’ve known that since University of Alabama, right? Remember how we battled it out in moot court, back in law school?”
I did recall. I beat him like a drum in those mock trials, but Dick always seemed to garner all the credit. Even when he cheated.
