Bourbon Springs Box Set: Volume III, Books 7-9 (Bourbon Springs Box Sets Book 3)

by Jennifer Bramseth

“Let’s get inside,” said Cara, shivering as a blast of wind whipped around the building.

  The group entered, went through the state police security checkpoint just inside the doors, then headed to the second floor and the Supreme Court.

  “Did you have to bring anything?” Drake asked her as Vera took charge of Nate and they climbed the narrow stairs to the next level.

  Cara shook her head. “Just myself and my loved ones. I did bring a family Bible,” she added, pulling it from her large purse.

  “Who’s going to hold it?”

  “My mother,” Cara answered, hoping Drake wouldn’t feel slighted.

  “But what about Nate?” he asked instead.

  At that moment, Nate chose to start whining as Vera pulled him up the stairs.

  “I think we may have a job for you once we’re in the courtroom, Mr. Mercer,” she said, nodding to the grumpy toddler.

  “It will be my honor and pleasure.”

  Once inside, Cara saw that they were the first to arrive, and she took the moment to appreciate her surroundings.

  At the far end of the room was the elevated carved wooden bench, sitting on green marble deeply veined with white. Before the bar were two large, flat, wooden counsel tables, and overhead was a massive brass chandelier. Underfoot, the carpet was the deepest royal blue, the hue immediately putting Cara in mind of the color of the state flag.

  They were all taking a seat at one of the counsel tables when a man with a very sophisticated-looking camera appeared from a side door. He introduced himself as the official photographer and offered to take pictures of their group.

  “Where’s your robe?” the photographer asked.

  “Oh no!” cried Cara. “I left it in the car!”

  “I’m sure we can find you an extra one around here,” said a tall, thin blonde who had suddenly appeared in the courtroom. Dressed in a royal blue suit the same color as the carpeting, she extended a bony hand and flashed a toothy smile. “Elise McNabb,” she said, and Cara immediately recognized her as the clerk of the Supreme Court. “We’ve got more black robes around here than we know what to do with. I’m sure Justice Nolan wouldn’t mind your borrowing her robe. You two are about the same size.”

  Cara put her hand over her face. “How embarrassing is it that I forgot my own robe at my swearing in?”

  “All that matters is that you made it here today,” said Elise, patting her on the back. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go away,” she chirped and trotted away.

  “Where does she think you’re going to go?” asked Drake, laughing. “Thinks you’ll wander away from your own swearing in?”

  “Well, you are talking about the judge who forgot her own robe,” Cara said.

  The photographer took some pictures of Cara standing in front of the bench, as well as holding Nate in her arms, with Vera in and out of the shots.

  “And now for the husband,” the photographer said, gesturing at Drake.

  “Not the husband,” Drake said as Cara noticed he’d reddened.

  “Oh, sorry, assumed too much there—”

  Awkward.

  “He’s my—friend. Could you please get some shots of us?” Cara asked.

  Vera leaned over as she took Nate from Cara’s arms. “Maybe soon Drake will get an upgrade,” she mumbled into her daughter’s ear.

  “Upgrade?”

  Vera only arched a brow, the message between mother and daughter clear.

  While Cara glared at her, Vera laughed and slipped out of the space next to Cara. Drake moved into the same spot seamlessly.

  As the photographer snapped away, Cara looked at the back of the courtroom where Rachel, Brady, Hannah, Kyle, Harriet, and Goose were all filing into the room, followed by Jorrie and Mack.

  Cara also spotted Milla McCracken, a young woman who used to be a runner for a law firm in Littleham during summers between law school. She’d been happy to give Milla a recommendation a few years ago for a clerking job with Justice Helen Nolan, who was on track to be the next Chief Justice whenever the current Chief retired.

  “Looks like the gang’s all here, except for CiCi and Walker,” Drake said.

  “You spoke too soon.”

  Cara pointed to the back of the courtroom where CiCi and Walker were slipping through the door, followed by none other than Garner Robson himself. To her pleasant surprise, she saw Walker offer his hand to Garner. As they shook, the two men exchanged a few words, both looking somber yet polite. Garner nodded to CiCi, who merely nodded back and then turned toward the front and smiled when she caught Cara’s eye.

  The photographer took several shots of Cara with Drake, and then Elise returned with a robe.

  “Try this on for size,” she said, coming toward Cara with the robe already open.

  Cara turned around and, with assistance from Elise and Drake, slipped into the garment.

  “It’s perfect,” Cara said. “Please tell Justice Nolan thank you for me. Or will she be here so I can do it myself?”

  “She’s not here. I sweet-talked her secretary into letting me borrow it for a while.”

  “You took this without her permission?” asked Cara, alarmed.

  “It will be fine,” claimed Elise. “And what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” she said with a wink before departing.

  Cara slipped out of the robe and took a seat along with Vera, Drake, and Nate at the counsel table. As Drake held her hand under the table, she marveled at her circumstances.

  She had only been back to the Supreme Court once since she was sworn in as a lawyer, that one time being her investiture as a district court judge almost three years ago. The bench before her was large and foreboding, a measure of power and professional achievement so very few attorneys reached. She certainly had never dared to dream much beyond her own backyard of Craig County, yet here she was, midthirties and about to claim her seat on a powerful, statewide court.

  Her vision clarified as she kept staring at that long bench and the tall chairs behind it.

  She saw herself not only a rightful claimant of a seat on the bench before her but sitting in the middle, in that largest and tallest chair: the one reserved for the Chief Justice himself.

  Or herself, as the case would be.

  Cara felt the burn of ambition and could see beyond that moment, years into her future. A future she wanted to build for herself and her son.

  And with the man holding her hand.

  In the next instant the door near the bench opened and a bailiff, the clerk, the Chief Justice all appeared. Everyone rose upon the command of the clerk, who positioned herself at the clerk’s desk just below the bench.

  “Oyez, oyez! Silence is commanded for the Supreme Court of Kentucky. All ye having pleas to make or causes to prosecute come forward and ye shall be heard. God save the Commonwealth. God save this honorable Court. You may be seated.”

  “Madam Clerk, what business does this Court have on the docket today?” asked the Chief Justice.

  “I deliver the governor’s order of appointment of a new member to the Kentucky Court of Appeals,” Elise responded.

  “May I have the order of appointment, please?”

  Elise turned and handed the paper to the Chief Justice, who examined it briefly after adjusting his reading glasses.

  “Is the Honorable Cara Diana Forrest present?”

  Cara rose. “Yes, Your Honor.”

  “Do you accept this appointment of the governor to the Court of Justice, Court of Appeals, District Five, Division Two?”

  “Yes, Your Honor.”

  “Do you affirm that you are a resident of the Commonwealth of Kentucky?”

  “Yes, Your Honor.”

  “And are you a licensed attorney, a member of the bar of this Court?”

  “Yes, Your Honor.”

  “And do you know of any impediment today to your taking office as a member of the Kentucky Court of Appeals?”

  Her stomach clenched, but Cara didn’t miss a beat. “No, Your Honor.
”

  “Please come forward, Judge Forrest, along with your family.”

  The group gathered in the well of the Court, directly in front of the bench. Vera held the robe and Bible while Drake took charge of Nate. The boy had finally tired, and he dropped his head on Drake’s shoulder, mouth open and eyelids drooping.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” the Chief said, addressing the gallery. “I will now administer the oath of office. If any of you are officeholders or attorneys, you are well familiar with the Commonwealth’s peculiar oath. Whenever I do a swearing in, whether it be one judge or a bunch of new attorneys after they’ve passed the bar, I always take the time to alert people to this oath, as it is rather odd, but it is the law. This is the oath prescribed by the Kentucky Constitution of 1891, which has not been amended, although there have been efforts to do so. I, for one, am glad that the oath has remained the same. Not because it makes us so odd—I think we Kentuckians can be distinctive enough on our own without words necessary to mark our uniqueness. One only need look at the glorious place in which we sit, this magnificent room, or beautiful capitol, arguably the most beautiful in the country.

  “I am pleased that the oath is unchanged because it reminds of us of what we used to be—a little rougher, a little harder, a little—dare I say it—more dangerous. We have moved on from such times, although not completely, but we are a better place. It reminds us that we have the ability to change, to move on, to be the resilient spirits that we were meant to be. So with that, I’ll get off my soapbox here and get this woman on the Court of Appeals.”

  The crowd laughed as the Chief Justice told Cara to raise her right hand and place the other on the Bible. Smiling, he addressed her.

  “Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky so long as you continue a citizen thereof, and that you will faithfully execute, to the best of your ability, the office of judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, according to law; and do you further solemnly swear or affirm that since the adoption of the present Constitution, you, being a citizen of this State, have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within this State nor out of it, nor have you sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have you acted as second in carrying a challenge, nor aided or assisted any person thus offending so help you God?”

  “I do so solemnly swear,” Cara said, smiling and trying to suppress her incipient giggles. Every time she heard the oath, she wanted to laugh. Even the audience had tittered when the Chief mentioned the parts about duels with deadly weapons.

  The Chief held out his hand.

  “Congratulations, Judge Forrest. Her robe, please.”

  “You’re doing the honors?” the Chief asked Vera.

  “Yes, I am.” Vera said. “But I’d love it if Mr. Mercer could spare a hand.”

  Drake gently placed Nate into a standing position and, with Vera’s assistance, enrobed Cara. Vera immediately pulled her daughter into a long, tight hug.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Judge Cara Diana Forrest of the Kentucky Court of Appeals,” said the Chief Justice.

  A round of applause erupted from the gallery as Vera continued to hug her daughter. Although she could not be certain, Cara thought she actually heard a small whooping noise from the observers and attributed the exuberance to Hannah.

  The official photographer took over and started spouting directions. By the time he’d finished, she was as exhausted as was Nate, who was completely unconscious on Drake’s shoulder.

  Cara slipped out of the robe and handed it back to Elise.

  “Thanks so much for all your help,” she said. “Now you can tell everyone about the stupid judge who forgot her own robe.”

  Elise laughed. “You didn’t really forget it, you only left it in your car.”

  “Anyway, thanks again.” Cara picked up her coat from a chair next to the counsel table.

  “Wait, you’re not going, are you? There’s a reception for you out on the landing overlooking the atrium.”

  Ten minutes later, everyone was on wide marble terrace overlooking the center of the capitol building. From the edge of the space, one could look up into the dome, towering hundreds of feet above them. Primed with the promise of cookies and punch, Nate was now wide-awake and in high spirits. Vera took charge of him as Cara worked the crowd; she was particularly pleased to get a chance to say hello to Milla, the former runner, as well as a few friends from law school who worked in the capitol for legislators. During this time, Drake disappeared to the bathroom and then the clerk’s office to check on an appeal.

  Cara had just accepted the good wishes of the retiring Judge O’Toole, whom she hadn’t seen in the gallery during the ceremony, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun around to see Hannah.

  “Congratulations!” cried Hannah as she pulled Cara into a hug. “I’m so very happy for you!”

  “Thank you. I wouldn’t be here without your support. I know that and appreciate it.”

  “That’s what friends are for.”

  The women fell apart, but Cara kept her hands on Hannah’s forearms. “I’m so glad you could all make it today.” She saw that Hannah’s eyes had fixed on some spot across the terrace.

  “I see that Garner is here. Could it be that you two are friendly now?” Hannah asked.

  “We are indeed,” confirmed Cara, glancing over her shoulder.

  There were many people about, and Hannah dipped her head to indicate she wanted to speak privately. They moved to the very edge of a small balcony overlooking the center of the capitol building below.

  “I don’t know if you know this, but in case you don’t, I wanted to be the one to tell you,” Hannah said, her voice low and her eyes scanning the crowd.

  “This doesn’t sound good.”

  “I suppose it’s not, although I still don’t think it’s going to be anything for you to worry about.”

  In Cara’s experience, when someone told her that she didn’t need to worry about something, the opposite usually proved to be true.

  “So what is it I don’t need to fret about?”

  “Harriet has it on good authority that her former boss and law partner, Bruce Colyard, is going to announce against you next week, after the long holiday weekend.”

  Cara kept her eye on Garner near the food table several yards away, chatting with the chief justice, trying to act nonchalant.

  “I really didn’t expect to breeze through without an opponent this fall.”

  “Maybe so,” said Hannah. “But Bruce Colyard? That man has no business being on the bench. Harriet was livid when she found out. She used to work for him, you know. A terrible boss, a terrible law partner. And I never thought that much of him when he did work for Old Garnet. He doesn’t have the temperament for being on the bench.”

  Garner caught Cara’s eye and waved to her. Drake then reappeared in the reception area, went to Garner, shook his hand, and pulled him into a hug.

  Something seemed to fall into place for her at that moment, and a serenity enveloped her that told her all would be well.

  “You know,” Cara said to Hannah, “I can’t say that your news particularly upsets me.”

  Hannah gave her one last hug before departing with the others from Bourbon Springs, and that little exodus seemed like an unofficial end to the festivities. The food table was rather bare, and once more a whining Nate had been swept up in Drake’s arms, the child’s head on his shoulder.

  After everyone slipped into their coats, the little group made for the elevator nearby instead of the stairs. Vera insisted on holding Nate.

  “Poor thing,” she cooed. “I’m sure he’ll sleep all the way home.”

  “I hope so,” Cara said as Drake took her hand.

  Vera exited the elevator first, toting the child, and they all turned right and down a marbled hallway lined with old oil portraits o
f former members of the Kentucky Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.

  “Just think,” Drake said, “your portrait will be up there someday amongst all those dour old men.”

  Cara laughed, her happiness echoing off the high ceiling.

  “You think I’ll make the wall of fame here?”

  “Yes, but maybe not as a Court of Appeals judge,” he said as they reached the security station and waved good-bye to the guards.

  “So as what?”

  Drake released her hand and opened the door for Vera and Nate. He then leaned over to whisper in her ear as she passed him.

  “As a member of the Supreme Court.”

  How had he read her heart’s ambition as she sat there with him that morning?

  Because he was the man in love with her. And she loved him.

  Cara let Vera and Nate walk ahead of them down the short flight of stairs to a small piazza area beyond the covered entrance. Then she grabbed the lapels of Drake’s coat and pulled him to her.

  “I love you,” she whispered. “I love you for being here today for me and for putting up with me these past few weeks. I love you for not just the way you love me but my family. I love you for wanting a future together, planning for it, openly talking about it. I love you, Drake Mercer, and I haven’t loved any man as much as I love you.”

  Beyond words, he simply put his hands on her face and kissed her deeply. Cara’s arms found their way around his neck as they stood there in the entrance, oblivious to the world.

  And then the unmistakable clicks, beeps, and flashes of light shattered their moment.

  Ah, the press.

  “What the hell—” muttered Drake as he pushed her behind him.

  “Judge Forrest, congratulations on your appointment,” said someone silhouetted against the light beyond the vestibule.

  “Strange way of showing it,” Drake growled.

  Cara moved out from behind Drake and frowned. One of the most intimate moments of her life had just been interrupted, and she was beyond pissed.

  But she had to remember that not only was she a judge, but a judge with a pending ethics complaint and someone about to announce against her for the office she just took.

  She claimed Drake’s hand. “Thank you. Now if you’ll excuse us.”