Free Dirty Blonde by Lisa Scottoline Page B

when your name came up for the vacancy. You thought you weren’t political. You didn’t think you’d get it.”
    Cate laughed. “Oh, I knew I wasn’t political. I didn’t leave work early enough to vote, even.”
    “And they began the background check and evaluated your credentials, before you could be confirmed. Maybe you were sabotaging yourself, in a way. Worried they wouldn’t find you qualified.”
    “You know better than that. The scrutiny for us isn’t like for appellate judges. The confirmation hearing is pro forma. We’re basically appointed. I knew I had the credentials, and I was a woman, which didn’t hurt. It played out in my favor that I wasn’t political. They were so polarized, I was the only one they all agreed on for the job.”
    “Maybe you didn’t want the job.”
    Cate blinked. “Of course I wanted the job.”
    “What if you didn’t? We’ve talked about how it’s kind of lonely, and you can’t see your old partners anymore. You loved the action in court. Aren’t you a little ambivalent about being on the bench?”
    “How could I be? It’s the peak of the profession. Every trial lawyer wants to be a trial judge. There’s only seven hundred in the country, on the federal level. It’s the ultimate promotion.”
    “That’s not my point.” Gina cocked her head. “You really wanted the promotion. But did you really want the job ?”
    Oddly, Cate had never really thought about that. Being a judge was the best she could be, and she always wanted to be the best. “I don’t know.” She shook her head, too tired to think, and shaken, still. “I guess I should get some therapy.”
    “Uh, hello, ya think ? And meds, lotsa meds!” Gina smiled, and then so did Cate, rising.
    “Okay, enough. Want more coffee?” Cate crossed to the cabinet, retrieved a paper filter, and slotted it into the coffeemaker. “How’s the baby?”
    “The neighbor’s there. He won’t even wake up.”
    “Great. Thanks for coming over.” Cate dumped ground coffee into the filter and went to the sink to fill up the glass pot. “Hey, why’d you call me in the first place? Another tantrum?”
    “No, it wasn’t about him. I heard on TV about the fight in court. I figured you might be upset.”
    “Oh, that. Between the rape and the flat tire, I almost forgot.” Cate flicked on the coffee machine, thinking of Marz.
    “Is that what set it off?”
    “Set what off?”
    “Your little frolic and detour tonight.”
    “I’ll ask my new shrink.” Suddenly the phone rang, and they exchanged glances. Cate said, “I’m not getting it. It’s Graham, and I haven’t had my therapy yet.”
    Ring ! “It could be the sitter. She knows I’m here, and I left my cell at home.”
    “Sorry.” Cate picked up quickly. “Hello?”
    “Judge? Did I wake you?”
    “Invaluable.” Cate smiled with relief at Val’s voice. “What are you doing up so late on a school night?”
    “Chief Judge Sherman needed to reach you, but he didn’t have your number. So he called me.”
    “What’s up?”
    “There’s bad news.”

CHAPTER 9

    The next morning, Cate drove up Market Street in heavy traffic, insulated by the car’s perfect seal from the media in front of the courthouse. Reporters held microphones at their sides, and cameramen drank coffee by enamel-white vans with cheery station logos. They were waiting for her, but she wouldn’t have answered their questions anyway. She couldn’t, because she didn’t have the answers. Art Simone had been shot to death last night. And the police were looking for Richard Marz, who was nowhere to be found.

    Cate felt a wave of regret. She should have foreseen that it could happen. That if Marz couldn’t get justice in her courtroom, he’d get it on the street. She took a right onto Sixth Street. She still couldn’t believe that Simone had been murdered. She didn’t respect him, but she didn’t want him dead. She’d prayed her comments hadn’t put him there.
    Cate aimed