Free 1 The Bitches of Everafter by Barbra Annino

seemed deflated these days. She wondered if he and the Missus were having trouble or if it had more to do with working with the judge. That was enough to shake the spring from any man’s step.
    Tink opened the door extra wide and smiled extra big for the man with the badge. “Hiya, Robin!”
    Robin nodded. “Hey, Tink. You get cuter every time I see you, you know that?”
    Tink blushed. “Thanks.”
    He looked toward the hall on the right where the home office was located. “Your boss in?”
    Tink nodded and put a hand to the side of her mouth, shielding her lips. “She’s in a pretty good mood too, so you’re in luck.”
    “I could use some of that today, I’ll tell you.” Robin glanced back toward the street.
    “Car trouble?” Tink asked. She had heard the thing from at least three blocks away, she was certain. Her superior hearing was her superpower.
    “You could say that.”
    Tink shut the door behind Robin. “Come on, I’ll take you to her.”
    They exchanged pleasantries on the way to the judge’s office and Tink stopped to fluff up a ficus. When they reached the double oak doors, she knocked once. “Judge Redhood, Robin Hood is here to see you.”
    “Send him in,” said the judge.
    Tink opened the doors, and swept her hand in front of Robin. “Be my guest.”
    Robin thanked her, and she closed the doors behind him.
    She walked a feet few down the hall until she heard the lock mechanism click. Then she shuffled back to the door, put her ear to it, and listened.
    “Please have a seat, Mr. Hood. Can I have Tink bring you anything?”
    Tink straightened and held her breath.
    “No thank you, Judge, I’m fine.”
    “Now then,” the judge said, “What have we got this week?”
    There was some shuffling of papers. Ice clinked in a glass as the judge sipped her drink. She said, “Hm-hm. Very good.”
    She didn’t sound like she meant it. Her voice was pinched, sour. “Snow White will begin therapy and community service this week then?”
    “That’s correct. As you can see, the others are doing remarkably well.”
    Officer Hood’s voice cracked a bit at the word ‘well’. Did that mean he was lying? Or was there some other meaning behind that shaky tone?
    Tink pulled out her notebook and wrote down her thoughts. Her favorite thing to do in this big boring house was to eavesdrop. Not because she was nosy, but because she loved to study the human condition. She was fascinated with psychology and hoped to be a shrink someday. Not the kind that prescribed drugs, but the kind that helped people with their problems through cognitive therapy like Doctor Bean. She adored him—had a huge crush on him in fact. He told her once after one of his town hall rap sessions—his words, not Tink’s—that she could intern with him, and if she liked it and did well, he’d put in a good word for her at the psychology department at the university. She had been over the moon!
    Of course that was before she spoke with the judge.
    “Absolutely not, Tink,” the judge had said. “I need you here and fully focused on your job.”
    As if shoveling up dog doo the size of her head took more brains and commitment than Tink could handle.
    But she needed the job and the room, and since it was all she could ever remember doing, how else would she pay for her tuition? She had a stash saved up, so she knew someday she’d make her dream come true. Just not today.
    Through the closed door, the judge said, “That’s it? That’s all you have?” She sounded irritated. Perhaps Tink hadn’t put enough vodka in her cocktail.
    Robin said, “I thought you’d be pleased. They’re doing well in the program and Granny seems to have a handle on her tenants.” His voice was a clipped. Robin, it seemed to Tink, didn’t care for the judge’s mood swings either.
    The judge backpedaled. “Well, of course, I’m pleased, Robin, I’m just wondering if perhaps you aren’t watching them closely enough.”
    “Doing my surprise