4

The next day, Piper wore her best suit, something black and plain she had bought at a secondhand store. Her earrings were silver, and she wore an ichthus necklace on a thin chain. Her grandmother had given it to her on her baptism day, which she had when she was ten since her mother wasn’t religious and didn’t get her baptized as an infant. Piper had worn it ever since. Even to court, where some attorneys thought it was improper for an officer of the court to show their religion.

She had on little makeup and considered putting some more on, but decided it wasn’t worth the time. The day was warm, and the drive to the courthouse was pleasant.

The Lloyd George Courthouse stood at the end of Las Vegas Boulevard, a steel-and-glass beacon against the Strip’s glitz. The neon lights reflected off the glass windows of the building.

Inside was a vast atrium, sunlight streaming onto a granite floor. The space was filled with light and shadow.

Judge Dawson’s chambers were on the fifth floor. Few people went to the fifth floor: it was reserved for the juvenile courts, which weren’t open to the public.

The courtroom was hushed and solemn. Whispers echoed off wooden pews and high ceilings as a family sat waiting for the judge to come out. The respondent, what they called juveniles in court rather than defendant —a suggestion made by Dr. Allen Bishop—was a young boy in the orange jumpsuit of juvenile detention.

Piper smiled at the clerk, who was busy typing something, and said, “Excuse me, I’m Piper Danes, I’m with the guardian ad litem. I have a meeting with the judge.”

“Head through that door and to the right,” she said, giving her a nod.

Piper went through the door she had mentioned. It led back into the hallway where the judge’s clerks sat at cubicles. The next door was her chambers.

The door was open, and Piper took in Judge Dawson.

She sat upright at a modern brushed steel desk, a far cry from the large wooden desks the other judges had. Her legs were crossed, and her red suit had gold buttons. Her hair came above her shoulders, one side tucked behind an ear. A bright, almost orange color more than red.

She was signing something and said, “Sit, please,” without looking up.

Piper sat in the comfy leather chair and waited. After a few signatures, the judge set her pen down and leaned back casually in her seat. She blinked slowly, watching Piper, and it gave her an uncomfortable jolt in her stomach. Her gaze was piercing.

“Good morning,” the judge said.

“Morning,” she said with an awkward smile.

“I’ve seen you before. I attended the Calhoun appeal upstairs at the appellate court. It was an interesting issue. Does taking an adult and digitally making them look like a minor before filming pornography qualify as child pornography? Your arguments that it should be regarded as actual child pornography were persuasive.”

She cleared her throat softly before speaking. “Well, I lost that appeal, so I don’t know how persuasive they were.”

“I’m certain those judges made up their minds before any attorney spoke in court. You did a good job.”

She crossed her legs the other way, the leather of her chair creaking in the silent room. “You’ve been a guardian now for almost a year?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“ Your Honor is for the courtroom. Proper decorum is Judge .”

She gave a passive grin and said nothing.

“Nobody becomes a guardian to get rich, especially if they have student loans. You have to have a reason for wanting to be there. Did you actually want to work there? You graduated first in your class and were published while still a law student. I assume you had other offers.”

“I did, yes. I wanted to be a guardian.”

The judge gazed at her a moment and then said, “If I ask you questions, will you be honest with me? Not the type of honesty most people adhere to, I mean actually honest.”

“I’ll do my best,” she said with another grin and hoped she wasn’t blushing.

“Most people leave after a few years of gaining experience. Do you plan to do that?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I enjoy the work. Plus, I’ve had experience with them.”

“How?”

“My mother lost custody of me when I was nine. A guardian was kind to me when no one else was.”

“Did you go into foster care when she lost custody?”

“No, I was adopted by my grandmother.”

The judge watched her quietly a moment and seemed, at least for now, satisfied. “I assume you read the case files?”

“I did.”

The judge put her hands down on the armrests of her chair, her natural-colored nails shiny and new. She blinked slowly again, something Piper had thought she was doing for her benefit as an intimidation tactic, but then realized that’s simply how she was.

“It’s a unique case. Survivors in home invasion mass murders like this are rare. Why do you think someone would leave Sophie Grace alive?”

“It didn’t seem to be done purposely, from the police reports.”

“If she escaped and everyone else died, it’s not unfair to assume the murderer let her escape.”

“I suppose opinions can differ.”

“Yes, they can.” She paused. “Assume the killer did leave her alive for a reason. What do you think that reason would be?”

Piper inhaled a quick breath and said, “Narcissistic control maybe. Leaving one person alive demonstrates a type of power.”

She nodded but didn’t show any reaction. The judge said, “Or maybe he didn’t get to finish?” She leaned forward now, her hands moving elegantly in front of her. “I assume you have questions for me about the grant?”

“I do. What exactly will be your involvement, Judge?” she said as politely as possible.

“I will be conflicted out of any criminal cases arising from this incident, of course, but I have full authorization to act on behalf of Ms. Grace. So do you as her guardian. She’s our priority. Not finding who did this. That’s only consequential if it helps Ms. Grace.” She leaned back in her seat. “This hasn’t been done before, you know. It’s quite thrilling. Seeing the entire system come together to work for the benefit of a child. Have you met Ms. Grace yet?”

“Not yet.”

“I would go do that as soon as possible. Before the detectives begin showing up and taking statements without anyone else there.”

She picked up her pen again, sliding the documents back toward her. “The lead on the case is Detective Holloway. You should go see him before you visit Sophie. He knows you’re coming.”

The judge resumed signing the documents, indicating the conversation was over. Piper rose and didn’t know whether to say goodbye. It was like the judge had already forgotten someone else was in the room.