'You're kidding!'
'One of his associates just went to the Parish firm and he needs someone right away.'
'I don't believe this. Working with Matthew Reynolds is my dream job.'
'It won't be easy, Tracy. Reynolds works his associates like dogs.'
'You know I don't mind hard work.'
'That's true, but with Reynolds we're talking slave labor. Most of his associates quit in less than two years.'
'Thanks for the warning, but nothing can stop me from giving it a try, if Reynolds takes me on.'
'I just want you to know what you're getting into. Reynolds lives at his law office. All he does is try cases and prepare for trial.
He works fourteen-hour days, seven days a week. I know that sounds improbable, but I'm not exaggerating. Reynolds has no social life. He doesn't even understand the concept. He'll expect you to be at his beck and call and that can be at any hour of the night and weekends. I've been told Matt can exist on four hours' sleep and they say you can cruise by his office at almost any hour and see a light burning.'
'I'm still interested.'
'There's another thing. He's never had a woman associate.
Quite frankly,' the judge said with a bemused grin, 'I'm not certain he knows what a woman is.'
'Pardon?'
'I don't know why, but he seems to shun women as if they were carrying the plague.'
'If he's never had a woman associate, why is he interested in me?'
The judge laughed. 'He's not. Reynolds has hired several clerks from our court because he went to school with Justice Forbes and trusts his recommendations. Reynolds called Stuart in a dither when he heard we wanted to send him a woman, but Stuart assured him you wouldn't bite. So he's willing to talk to you. This is his office number. His secretary will set up the interview.'
Tracy took the slip of paper. 'This is fantastic. I don't know how to thank you.'
'If it works out you can thank me by doing such a good job that Reynolds will hire another woman.'
The library occupied most of the second floor of the Supreme Court building. The entrance was across from the marble staircase. A small glassed-in area with the checkout desk and an office for the librarians was directly in front of the doors. There were carrels on either side of the office. Behind the carrels, the stacks holding the law books stood two deep. A balcony overhung the stacks, casting shadows over the rows of bound volumes.
Laura Rizzatti was seated at a carrel surrounded by law books and writing feverishly on a yellow pad. When Tracy touched her on the shoulder, Laura jumped.
'You up for a coffee break?' Tracy asked. 'I've got something fantastic to tell you.'
'I can't now,' Laura said, quickly turning over the pad so Tracy could not see what she was writing.
'Come on. A fifteen-minute break won't kill you.'
'I really can't. The judge needs this right away.'
'What are you working on?'
'Nothing exciting,' Laura answered, trying to appear casual, but sounding ill at ease. 'What did you want to tell me?'
'I've got an interview with Matthew Reynolds. He needs an associate and Justice Forbes recommended me.'
'That's great,' Laura said, but the enthusiasm seemed forced.
'I'd give my right arm to work with Reynolds. I just hope I make a good impression. Justice Sherzer says he's never had a woman associate and it sounds like he doesn't have much use for females.'
'He hasn't met you yet.' Laura smiled. 'I'm sure you'll knock him dead.'
'I hope so. If you change your mind about coffee, I'm going in about twenty minutes. I'll even buy.'
'I really can't. And congratulations.'
Tracy walked across the library and located the volume of the New York University Law Review she needed. She took it to her carrel and started making notes. Half an hour later, she walked over to Laura's carrel to try to convince her to go for coffee. She was really excited about the job interview and wanted to talk about it.
Laura wasn't at her desk. Tracy noticed the yellow pad on which Laura had been writing. There was a list of three criminal cases on it. Tracy studied the list, but could see nothing unusual about the cases. She wondered why Laura had turned over the pad to hide the list, then shrugged and went to look for her friend.
Tracy searched the long rows of books until she came to the section that held the Oregon Court of Appeals reporters. Laura was at the far end of the stacks near the wall and Tracy was surprised to see that she was talking with Justice Pope. She and Laura had discussed Pope on several occasions and Tracy knew that Laura despised him. Tracy's initial impulse was to walk up to her friend and the judge, but there was something about the attitude of their bodies that stopped her.
The space between the stacks was narrow and Laura and Pope were almost chest to chest. Laura looked upset. She moved her hands in an agitated manner when she spoke. Pope flushed and said something. Tracy could not hear what he said, because they were whispering, but the angry tone carried. Tracy saw Laura move away from the stocky judge until her back was against a bookshelf. Pope said something else. Laura shook her head. Then Pope reached up and touched Laura's shoulder. She tried to push his hand away, but the judge held her firmly. Tracy stepped into the aisle so Pope could see her. 'Ready for coffee?' Tracy asked loudly.
Pope looked startled and dropped his hand from Laura's shoulder.
'Laura and I have to discuss a case. I hope you don't mind, Judge,'
Tracy said, in a tone that let Pope know she had seen everything. Pope flushed. His eyes darted to Laura, then back to Tracy.
'That's the,' he said, stepping around Tracy.
'Are you okay?' Tracy asked, as soon as Pope was out of sight.
'What did you hear.>' Laura asked anxiously.
'I didn't hear anything,' Tracy answered, confused by the question. 'It looked like Pope was coming on to you. Is he giving you a hard time?'
'No,' Laura said nervously. 'He was just trying to find out how Bob . .
. Justice Griffen was going to vote on a case.'
'Are you being straight with me.> Because you look pretty upset.'
'I'm okay, Tracy, really. Let's drop it.'
'Come on, Laura. I can help you, if you'll tell me what's bothering you.'
'How could you possibly help me.>' Laura exploded. 'You have no idea what I'm going through.'
'Laura, I . . .'
'Please, I'm sorry, but you'd never understand,' Laura said.
Then she edged away from Tracy and bolted out of the stacks.
Tracy watched Laura go, stunned by her friend's reaction.
'Laura wants to see you, Judge,' Justice Griffen's secretary announced over the intercom. 'Send her in.'
The judge was preparing for the noon conference and hoped that Laura had finished her research in a tax case the justices would be discussing.
The door opened as Griffen finished signing a letter. He looked up when the door closed and started to smile.
But the smile disappeared when he saw his law clerk's face. She appeared to be on the verge of tears.
'We have to talk,' Laura said with a trembling voice.
Griffen stood up and walked around the desk. 'What's wrong?'
'Everything,' Laura answered. 'Everything.'
Then she started to cry.
The conference room of the Oregon Supreme Court was spacious, with few furnishings aside from a large conference table and some ancient glass-front bookshelves. Four former justices glowered down on their modern counterparts from portraits on the walls. Chief Justice Forbes sat at the head Of the conference table with the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up and his tie loosened. Alice Sherzer put down her coffee cup and briefs at her place on Forbes's right. Vincent Lefcourt, snowy-haired and dignified, sat on Forbes's left.
Robert Griffen pushed through the door and almost ran into Mary Kelly, who was working on her first
