Blowout

what Sherlock could tell, Eliza was well liked among the law clerks. Bobby Fisher would do well to watch his mouth. She said, “What do you think Eliza thought of Justice Califano?” She looked directly at Bobby, but the other three clerks knew the question was coming to each of them, and it set them to thinking. Too bad, but who knew what they’d say in response to another’s comments?”
    Bobby said, “Justice Alto-Thorpe thought Eliza and Justice Califano didn’t get along all that well, but you know, I don’t believe that. I know she admired the old guy. She tried to protect him and his time from anything she didn’t think was important.”
    Sonya McGivens agreed. “Eliza practically worshiped him. The thing is, Justice Califano treated her like an equal in a way none of the other Justices do with their law clerks. Justice Wallace sure has never treated me or Tai like that. Justice Wal—” Her voice dropped off. She turned red, seemingly embarrassed, about what she’d almost said.
    Dennis Palmer nodded in agreement. “That’s true. It isn’t at all like Justice Gutierrez treats me.”
    “And how does he treat you, Dennis?” Sherlock asked.
    “He’s always nice to me, don’t get me wrong, always listens politely to what I have to say. But I always feel like he’s ready to pat me on the back. I rarely feel he really wants to talk to me.”
    “So you think Justice Gutierrez treats you that way because you’re black?” Sherlock asked.
    He smiled at her. “No. I’ve never thought Justice Gutierrez is prejudiced. He hired me because I was law review, at the top of my class at Maryland, interviewed well, and presented him two topflight recommendations. But I really do think it made him feel warm and fuzzy to hire a black man, because he’s a minority himself, although I doubt he’s ever thought of himself in that way.”
    “All right,” Savich said. “Tell me about Danny O’Malley. Bobby, when you were in Eliza’s office on Friday morning, what was Danny doing?”
    “Okay. All right.” Bobby took a deep breath. “Danny was at his desk, working on something, I don’t know what. He looked up, saw me, and kind of winced. He did that whenever I came in. He never said anything nasty to me, not like Eliza did, he’d just sort of wince. Maybe he didn’t like it that I’d ask Eliza out on dates. Maybe he wanted Eliza too, sort of a dominance thing.”
    “No,” Sonya said. “Danny really liked Eliza, he looked up to her. He wasn’t interested in her that way. He was going out with Annie Harper, you know, the girl he met over at the Department of the Interior.”
    Sherlock asked, “Bobby, did you see Danny go into Justice Califano’s office?”
    Bobby shook his head.
    Tai Curtis said, “I wasn’t anywhere close that day. You guys weren’t either, were you?”
    Dennis and Sonya shook their heads.
    Ben said, “Bobby, did you see Danny at any other time on Friday?”
    Bobby thought a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I saw him and Fleurette go out to lunch. They had their heads together, talking real low, about what, I don’t know. I didn’t see Danny again. What did he have on the murderer, Agent Savich? What could he have possibly known, found out?”
    “We don’t know yet, but we will soon.”
    Callie said to Sonya McGivens, “Could I come with you to the kitchen, Ms. McGivens? I need a glass of water.”
    “Sure.” Sonya shrugged, tugged her lacy white top over her bare stomach, where it hovered for perhaps two seconds before slipping back up, and wandered out of the living room. She’d been here before, Callie thought. Why? Certainly not to hang out alone with Bobby.
    “None of us are stupid, Detective—I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name?”
    “My name’s Callie Markham.”
    Sonya stopped dead in her tracks, stared up and down at Callie. “I thought you looked familiar. You’re Justice Califano’s stepdaughter. I was thinking maybe you’d given me a parking ticket or something, but that’s not it at all. You’ve visited your stepfather before in his chambers, haven’t you? And you’re not a cop, you’re a reporter—for The Washington Post, right?”
    “Yes, I am. But I’m not here to do any story, Ms. McGivens. I’m on leave from the paper. I’m here because I think I can help with this investigation, a sort of an inside eye, someone who knows many of the players. I really want to find out who killed my stepfather. Can you tell me what you nearly