“I hope it never comes to that. I think your best option is to accept my offer and come stay in this house. At least then I can protect you.”
She bought herself a minute by gulping down some water. Obviously, Judge Conroy had a hidden agenda. Hell, it wasn’t even hidden. Wallace was implicated somehow. She could almost smell him lurking nearby. The thought of crossing paths with him again filled her with terror. This whole situation felt like a trap, but it was too late to escape. She was ensnared. Her choices were: Destroy her future and leave Danny twisting in the wind. Or willingly go deeper into the judge’s world, knowing it was filled with danger, but possibly get answers in the process.
Judge Conroy reached across the table and grasped Madison’s hand.
“I need a friend, Madison. I don’t have many of those. I understand you’re frightened, but I’ll do my best to make sure you don’t get hurt. And if there’s a way that I can help your brother, I will. Say you’ll do it, that you’ll help me.”
Madison felt the ground shift under her feet yet again. She couldn’t figure this woman out. Was she a victim, a criminal, a mentor, a savior? Did it matter? Against her better judgment, Madison was going to give the answer that the judge wanted to hear. For Danny, for her mother, for herself. But also for Judge Conroy, because somewhere deep down, she still believed in her. Despite every indication to the contrary.
20
On Sunday, Madison went to a regularly scheduled law review meeting, a Securities Reg prep session, and then took up a prominent position in the reading room at Langdell Library, where she studied for several hours. She kept to her normal routine and let herself be seen doing so, as the judge had instructed. The question was—seen by whom?
Late that afternoon, she left the library and hurried toward her dorm, glancing over her shoulder. The sun hung low in the sky. Shadows gathered, and dead leaves crunched underfoot, obscuring other sounds. She heard no one behind her, saw no sign of Wallace. Then again, he was a detective, skilled in the art of surveillance. He could be there, and she wouldn’t know.
In her room, she drew the blinds before packing a duffel bag with clothes for the week. Her stomach hollow with nerves, she wondered what Judge Conroy had in store for her. What kind of errands? Were they dangerous? Illegal? Both? The judge had threatened her with arrest. And that was terrifying. But the real reason she was doing this was to find her brother. She should have demanded answers last night. She would have, if the gun hadn’t spooked her. Danny had been missing from the prison database since yesterday morning. Tonight, she wouldn’t hold back. She’d confront the judge, even if it meant putting her own safety at risk.
She should tell someone where she was going.
She called an Uber, texting her mother from the back seat.
Sorry I haven’t been in touch. I got a job working for the judge, kind of like a pet sitter. Going to her house now and will ask about Danny. Will let you know what I find out. Don’t tell anyone, don’t worry, and most of all be careful. Love you.
She had the Uber drop her several blocks from Judge Conroy’s house. Creeping through the streets and alleyways, she watched her back. But she was alone on this frigid Sunday night. The temperature had plummeted. Scattered flurries wafted from the sky. Shivering, she slipped through the back gate and let herself in with the key the judge had provided. After disarming the security system, she turned to find herself staring down the barrel of Judge Conroy’s gun.
“Jesus.” Madison’s hand flew to her throat, her pulse rocketing with fear.
“Oh, it’s you. Thank God,” the judge said, lowering the gun. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“That’s not okay,” Madison said.
“I said I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you. Please, come in. Have some wine. I ordered DoorDash.”
The judge walked into the kitchen. Madison followed, watching as she stashed the gun in her bag on the island. All was warm and cheery in here. Candles lit on the table, flames dancing in the fireplace. Lucy rubbed up against Madison’s legs, purring. But her heart still hammered in her chest. A terrible thought had occurred to her.
“You thought I was him,” she said, facing Judge Conroy across the island. The gun was within the judge’s reach, but Madison no longer believed that it was meant for her. “Wallace has a key, doesn’t he?”
The judge sighed. “It’s possible.”
“You’re not sure? Did you give him one or not?”
“I didn’t. No.”
“Someone else gave him a key to your house?”
“Please, I really don’t want to talk about this tonight. It’s too stressful. Sit down, have something to eat. I got ramen. It’ll warm you up. It’s so cold tonight. They’re saying snow by Friday.”
Taking plastic containers from the warming drawer, she dumped the soup out into bowls, which they carried, steaming, to the table. There was an open bottle of pinot noir. The judge filled their glasses, then dipped her spoon. Madison was too keyed up to eat. She crossed her arms, stone-faced.
“Look, if you’re going to point a gun at me—”
“I’m sorry. That was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
“I don’t believe you. I don’t feel safe. Not just because of you. I’m risking Wallace showing up at any minute. If you expect me to stay, I’m going to need something in return.”
“Yes, of course. I said I’d pay.”
“Not money. I’m concerned about my brother.”
The judge’s face fell. “Oh, now, wait a minute. This arrangement was not an invitation to sway me on his case.”
Her chest swelled with anger. “Stop acting like this is a normal case where normal rules apply. It’s not, and you’re not a normal judge. Danny was framed. And now he’s missing. I think you know something about that.”
The judge’s spoon clattered to the table. “Missing? That’s not possible. He’s in custody.”
Her look of shock seemed genuine. Was she simply a talented actress?
“Well, they moved him, and they won’t say where. He’s not in the database. He hasn’t called home. At this point, we’re worried something terrible happened. If you want my help, then I need you to look into this. Find him. Tell me where he is. The Bureau of Prisons is giving us the runaround, but they’d have to answer you.”
“That doesn’t make sense. They don’t relocate prisoners until after sentencing. Your brother hasn’t been sentenced yet.”
“That’s correct.”
“Are you sure he was moved?”
“Positive. My mother talked to the guards on duty, and then to an administrator at the prison. I confirmed it online. He’s not there.”
“And they wouldn’t say where they took him?”
“She couldn’t get a straight answer. The guards say he was transferred, but they didn’t have details. The administrator claims he can’t give us the information because Danny’s status is confidential.”
The judge looked shaken. “Confidential?”
“Yes. What does that even mean? I searched the BOP database. He’s no longer listed. How can they not tell his family where he is? Is this normal, because it doesn’t seem like it.”
“No, it’s not. Thank you for telling me. I didn’t know this was happening.”
“Can you do anything? My mother is going crazy.”
“Let me make some calls tomorrow. I’ll see what I can find out.”
Madison thanked her, sitting back in her chair and picking up her spoon. She tried to relax, but it wasn’t easy—for either of them. They were both on edge, listening for any threat. When the cat suddenly attacked a squeaky toy shaped like a mouse, they both jumped, and then laughed in unison. But the laughter rang hollow. The second she got news of Danny, Madison vowed she’d be out of here, no matter what Judge Conroy said.
* * *