Read Online Casting Bones by Don Bruns - Free Book Online Page B

for him almost twelve years. The pay was decent, the hours sometimes long, but I fit in well, and I’m really good at what I do.’ She hesitated. ‘One of the girls who worked with him is now tending traffic court. Abruptly dismissed. So obviously, the man had issues with employees.’
    â€˜OK.’ He nodded, feeling like the other shoe was about to drop. Which was the reason for his visit.
    â€˜That said, I go back to my statement.’ She wore a weak smile. ‘Or my outburst about the judge.’
    Q nodded again, trying to encourage the lady.
    â€˜I’ve known him a long time, and Judge David Lerner didn’t really have a lot of redeeming qualities. Pressed, I’m not sure I could name one. I’m not sorry he’s gone, Detective. Part of his job seemed to be making people’s lives a living hell. My honest answer to your question is this: there could be all kinds of reasons and all kinds of people who would want him dead. All kinds.’
    She’d given him a copy of the judge’s calendar, his Rolodex, plus the names of the other six juvenile judges who worked in the building. He checked at the front desk to see if any of them were available.
    â€˜Richard Warren. He’s the only one who isn’t busy at the moment. He’s in his office. Do you want me to see if he can work you in? Would you like to see him?’ the plump honey-blond receptionist asked.
    Archer walked down the hall and into a cramped office. After introducing himself, he said, ‘You worked with David Lerner? Judge David Lerner?’
    The judge looked up, peering skeptically at Archer through large black-framed glasses. A small wiry man, about forty and quite pale. Someone who spent a lot of time inside.
    â€˜I did.’
    â€˜Did you have much interaction?’
    â€˜Interaction?’
    â€˜Did you work together? I’m sorry, Judge Warren, I’m not exactly sure how your system works. Maybe you could help me out. Tell me how things progress in this court.’
    â€˜We handle our own caseloads, Detective. I may have a day, or a moment when I deal with one of the other judges’ cases, but for the most part we are independent of each other.’
    â€˜Judge Lerner had a reputation for being a little harsh in his sentencing. Did you have any feelings about that?’
    â€˜Judge Lerner,’ he leaned on the man’s last name, ‘called his own shots. He didn’t ask my opinion on how to adjudicate.’ Warren crossed his arms over his chest and dared the detective to keep up the interrogation.
    â€˜Judge, we’re trying to find out who murdered your colleague. I’m asking you if you have any idea who might have had a reason to—’
    â€˜Detective, New Orleans has a lot of bad characters who are underage. And when those kids get out, I’m well aware some of them are not happy with our part in their incarceration.’
    â€˜So you think that offenders may—’
    â€˜Offenders. Their family. Their friends. We get threats from all of them. You want to go back twelve years and look into every kid Judge Lerner convicted? Or every threat he received in his tenure? Do you want to put your staff through that process? Good luck with that, Detective.’
    â€˜How about you, Judge? Do you give harsh sentences? A little over the top? A little severe for the offense?’
    Warren stood. His gaze went beyond Archer, to the entrance to his office, the wall in the hallway. His stare had a distant look.
    â€˜Detective, Judge Lerner was a zero-tolerance judge. If you break the law, you pay for that transgression. Some of us feel that’s following the letter of the law. Some of us agree with that philosophy. Some of us.’ Standing up he walked to one of the three windows in his office. ‘We all have a sense of responsibility, Mr Archer. We need to rid our streets of these punks. Teach them a lesson, OK?’
    Archer