Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 59287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
I followed her onto an elevator and she hit the button for the top floor.
“The coffee room on this floor is the absolute best, and that’s a good thing because it’s the same floor where you’ll be working.”
“I thought the law clerks’ office was on the third floor.” I glanced at the notes on my phone. “You said that—”
“That’s for the junior level law clerks,” she said. “You’re assigned to work in a judge’s chambers.”
“My contract didn’t say anything about that…” I stepped off once the doors glided open, suddenly feeling like this place looked a little too familiar. “Do I get to choose which judge I work under?”
“You’re funny.” She snorted and motioned for me to keep following her.
We rounded the corner, and the words “The Chambers of the Honorable Judge Ashton” stared me in the face.
No.
No.
NO.
I immediately stopped walking and pinched myself.
“There’s no pain.” I let out a sigh. “This is a dream. Just a dream.”
“Hold my coffee for a second.” Mara held out her cup, and the sting from the sleeve made my eyes widen.
I wasn’t dreaming at all.
“This is where you’ll be assigned,” she said, opening the door. “Allow me to show you to your desk.”
“Actually, uh...” I looked away. “How binding was that promise I just signed?”
“It was written by some of this city’s top lawyers.”
“Can I write an apology note and back away today without any penalty?”
“I will personally see to it that you’re sued for breach of contract and barred from any city government jobs for at least three years.”
“I might be able to survive that…” I stepped back. “They can’t sue me for money I don’t have, right?”
She grabbed my arm and pulled me inside.
Inside, towering ceilings with skylights greeted me, forcing me to slowly scan the colossal space they covered.
The entire left wall was a bookshelf, filled with leather-bound legal books. On the right, a golden frame displayed a moving panorama of Manhattan’s skyline that stretched from one end to the other.
As I gazed at the immaculate desks that were tucked into recessed walls and the framed newspaper headlines and degrees that were on display, the most notable thing wasn’t anything I could see.
It was what I could hear.
Despite the people who were walking around us, there was an intimidating silence here.
I glanced toward the far end of the space. Behind an open door sat a large oak desk with plush red chairs.
My eyes drifted to two small car replicas sitting on the edge of the desk. A McLaren and a Ferrari.
Shit…
“Since you have the highest level of education and journalism experience—” Mara snapped her fingers as we reached a smaller desk. “I made you the top clerk for Judge Ashton. You’re the only one who gets to work directly in his office.”
“Does that ‘breach of contract’ you mentioned come with any prison time?”
She opened a drawer and handed me a thick book.
“I’m just asking a question…” I swallowed. “I was in front of him in court for traffic tickets before, so…”
“Oh!” She laughed, waving her hand. “He doesn’t remember anyone who gets traffic tickets. Trust me.”
“Does he by chance remember—or know—people who may have recently damaged his property?”
“Huh?” She stepped closer. “What did you just say?”
“I said good to know.”
“Take today to read through this guidebook—” She pointed to the book in my hands. “Judge Ashton will answer any questions you have when he finishes the morning arraignments, and then tomorrow I’ll start walking you through everything. Do you have any questions before I show the other clerks to their places?”
“Can I see where they’re going, in case they might want to trade places with me?” I asked. “I mean, book smarts aren’t everything and they might be better off here.”
“I’ll be back in twenty minutes.” She walked away without another word.
I plopped down in the chair, surprised at how plush it was.
Grabbing the guidebook, I flipped open the first page and made a mental note to get the hell out of here before lunch.
1. Do not undermine my authority.
1a. Follow my rules to the letter.
1b. Never question my rulings or thoughts on the law.
I was only sixty pages into Judge Ashton’s employee guidebook and I was itching to take out a red pen for edits.
This man was dedicating twenty pages to explain every office rule when he could’ve condensed this into a simple list.
I flipped the page and finally made it to a new rule.
1c. Never give me YOUR thoughts on the law. (Unless I ask for them…and I won’t.)
Ugh.
As I clicked my highlighter, the sound of heels clacking against the floor made me look up.
For some strange reason, everyone in the office was running to the exit door.
Papers and files fluttered in their wake, and they didn’t look back.
“Is something wrong?” I asked. “Is this a fire drill?”
None of them looked back to answer.