Sidebar by Carsen Taite

Author:Carsen Taite [Taite, Carsen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626397538
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2017-07-24T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

Camille poked her head into the office Lloyd and West shared. Lloyd was combing through a binder, but West was nowhere in sight. She’d already looked in the kitchenette and the conference room, and there was no sign of her in either place. In a minute, she was going to have to resort to asking someone if she wanted to know where West was.

And she did. The realization surprised her a little. She’d gotten used to West being around, and when she wasn’t, everything felt a bit off. Plus, she wanted to smooth over how they’d parted Saturday night, but she wasn’t going to be able to tackle that uncomfortable subject unless she could catch her alone.

“Hi, Judge, you need me?” Lloyd asked, his expression hopeful.

“Actually, I was hoping you and West could come to my office. Is she around?”

“Haven’t seen her yet this morning, but I can tell she worked over the weekend.” He pointed to her desk. “She left it all neat and clean on Friday, but now it looks like a frat house on Sunday morning. Guess she didn’t go out over the weekend like the rest of us.”

He smiled at his own joke, and she returned the smile to cover her concern, ignoring his reference to seeing her over the weekend. West was usually early, never late. “Okay, I was hoping to go over the cases for the morning docket.”

Lloyd stood with a fistful of files. “I’ve got them right here and I’m ready to go over them if you want.”

She didn’t, but she couldn’t very well tell him that without looking foolish. “That’s great, but sit down, we can do it here.” She settled into West’s chair, happy she’d figured out a way to see her the minute she walked in.

Half an hour passed, and she spent the time half-listening to Lloyd while casting surreptitious glances between her watch and the door. To her surprise, Lloyd had done a decent job of summarizing the case issues, and if she’d had the wherewithal to fully focus on what he was saying, she’d probably be very well prepared for the morning docket. As it was, she’d be lucky to make it through the day.

“And that’s it,” Lloyd said. “Do you want the files or do you want me to have Ester put them on the bench?”

She reached for the stack. “I’ll take care of it.” In her struggle to focus, she started with him. He looked eager and pleased to have been singled out to brief her this morning. She’d been so fixed on West, Lloyd had seemed like an afterthought. “I’m going to grab a quick cup of coffee and then get started.” She held up one of the files. “I have a feeling counsel on the Johnson case are going to need to speak to me in chambers. If you’re not busy, why don’t you sit in?”

“That would be great. Thanks.”

She strode through the door to the kitchen, desperate for more caffeine, but what she saw jolted her awake.

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