“Master Adam. A pleasure to see you. Your father is in the study.”
“Lillian, it’s been far too long.” He put his arms around her shoulders and gave a quick squeeze. “How have you been?”
“Just fine. Nothing much has changed around here.”
No doubt. After a few more pleasantries were exchanged, Adam squared his shoulders and walked up the staircase to his father’s study. He knocked on the door and walked in.
“Adam.” The judge was sitting in his chair, the room darkened but for the green bankers lamp on the corner of the antique desk. He leaned his elbows on the blotting pad and looked up at his son. “I will give you what you want, but you have to keep me out of this.”
I don’t think you’re in a position to give ultimatums. Adam frowned. “I don’t see how that’s going to be possible, do you?” He pulled up a chair and sat facing his father. He didn’t relish the idea of dragging the judge through court, but if that was what he had to do to free an almost innocent man, then he would do it.
“Yes, I have devised a way. I will retire forthwith. The evidence I will give you should stand up in court because it’s a video of Sally giving her story and she identifies herself at the beginning.” The judge grimaced and looked up before clearing his throat. “Never leave yourself open to blackmail, Adam. Always have an out.”
You sneaky old bastard. “You’re kidding me. You had her videoed admitting to her crime and you still let her go. I’m glad I think more of myself as a person than you do of upholding the law, Father.”
“It is my belief and that won’t change. You have to swear to keep me out of it if you want the tape. You can always quote a source has come forward and you wish to open the case. Nobody will turn you down once you show the evidence.”
“Surely that is the call of the sitting judge.”
“It’s compelling evidence. You’ll see that when you watch it. I’d appreciate you don’t do that here if you don’t mind. Take it home and go over it before you write the appeal.”
“Do you know where Sally is? Won’t she drop your name if she’s brought in?” Adam had no wish to speak to his ex-girlfriend, especially as she was as corrupt as his father.
“No, she is overseas and as far as I know, there is no extradition treaty where she now lives. So unless she does something stupid and comes back, she is safe enough.”
Figures. “You thought of everything, didn’t you?” Bitterness crept up Adam’s throat.
“It’s my job to look after my family. I would do it again if I had to.”
Adam stood up and reached for the CD his father pushed toward him. “I expect to see the notice of your retirement in the morning paper.” In big capital letters so nobody misses it.
The judge nodded his head and turned away. Adam rose and walked out, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
On the drive back home, Adam worded the appeal in his mind over and over until he was happy with it. As he drove into Mudgee, he turned into the main street and found a park outside Ben’s office. His secretary was on the phone when he walked in so he took a seat and waited until she was finished.
“Yes, can I help you?”
“Adam Chapman. I was hoping Ben had a few minutes spare to see me. He’ll know what it’s about.” I should have called ahead.
“Let me check for you.” She picked up the phone.
A couple of minutes later, Ben opened the door and beckoned him in. “So, how did it go, Adam? Did he give you anything we can use?”
Not sure but fingers crossed. Adam took the CD from his jacket pocket and dropped it on the desk in front of Ben. “He said everything we need is on this. I thought we should watch it together.”
Ben looked from the CD to Adam. “If you’re sure. I don’t want to embarrass you by being here if there is something personal on this.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s going to go public anyway if there’s something on there that will free Simon so I don’t care.”
“And what did this cost you?” Ben held the disc in his hand and watched for his reaction.
Adam swallowed and looked into the eyes of the man who had shown him more compassion in the last few months since he’d moved to the farm than his father had in all his years growing up. “He’s retiring. It’s the only way to keep him out of the news and get what we want. He refuses to be named though and I don’t know about you, but I can live with that if we can get a new hearing.” Anything to help clear up this mess.
“Fine. It would be more than I would want to tackle anyway. No good will come of slandering a well-known judge just for the sake of one person’s freedom, no matter how wrong it might seem. Right, let’s see what’s on here.” Ben got up from his desk and walked around to the television in the corner of the room. He slid in the disc and picked up the remote controls. When the CD loaded, he hit the play button and walked back to perch on the corner of his desk.
In silence, the two men watched as Adam’s ex-girlfriend told the story of how she managed to siphon off hundreds of thousands of dollars from the bank she worked for. When the video blanked out, Ben ejected it from the machine.
“Well, I think that should do it, don’t you?” He handed it back to Adam.
“Yes. I’m glad she put in the
