Play With Me

window open and beg for someone like him to come
through and carry me out in his arms. But then again, with my problem of
vertigo, I wouldn’t have made it past the windowsill.
    On Tuesday
morning, I dressed in the best pair of black jeans I owned, fixed the hole over
the right knee with a safety pin and scrubbed my scuffed boots. A dark gray
hooded sweater with ragged cuffs that ended two inches above my wrists had to
do on top.
    Miss Mulligan,
dressed in an abominable pink suit, escorted me in a taxi to the court. I was
to meet Abe in the smaller, almost private office where minor cases were
handled behind the big hall.
    As I strolled
down the hallway next to my warden, the distinct scent of lavender and cherry
blossom floated in the air. The smell set off an ice-cold trickle at my nape,
waking memories of painful days long ago. I knew only one person who used to
wear this particular perfume.
    I stopped dead
in my tracks and pivoted wildly, scanning around me as Miss Mulligan sent me a
puzzled glance. Breathing deep, I inspected the hallway up and down. But the
one person I searched for was nowhere in sight.
    A slow breath
wheezed from my lungs. Must’ve been mistaken. 
    A guard stood
watch in front of Judge Smith’s office. He let us in when we showed him my nice
and official invitation. He frowned at my hands shoved deep into my pockets,
but I ignored him and followed Miss Mulligan through the door.
    Wide windows on
two walls brightened the beige-carpeted office. A small number of people
gathered on one side of the room close to the door, some sat next to the
judge’s big desk. I caught a glimpse of Quinn’s encouraging eyes and felt a
cloud of calm settle in my chest for a moment. Then my gaze zeroed in on Abe.
    He looked up
from a stack of papers on his desk as soon as I crossed the threshold. His
disapproving eyes sent shivers down my back, but even as my warden slowed her
pace, I walked straight up to him.
    ‘ Never show
weakness or fear .’ Debby’s advice rang in my ears.
    “Jona
Montiniere, it is.” Abe adjusted his small round spectacles and gave me a quick
once over.
    Squaring my
shoulders, I lifted my chin and put on my best let’s-talk-shop grin. “Hello,
Abe. Is business doing well?”
    The judge ground
his teeth. “You keep me busy enough,” he grumbled through his beard.
    I always
wondered how it happened that men lost the luxury of hair on their heads, while
stubble still sprouted wildly on their faces. This was not the best moment to
bring up the prickly topic, though. Not with Abe already gathering momentum.
    He scanned his
papers again, shoving the glasses further up his nose. “This is the
twenty-third time in less than one year that I have you standing here.” At the
word twenty-third an awed whistle came from the seats. I cut a quick glance to
Quinn, who cocked a brow.
    “Is there
anything you can say in your defense?” the judge demanded.
    I pouted, Quinn
only shrugged.
    Next to him sat
Riley, who stuffed the last bite of a doughnut with pink icing into his mouth.
It brought a grin to my lips, and I turned back to Abe.
    “I’m a
kleptomaniac and have a medical certificate for legal pilfering in London.”
    Riley coughed,
slamming a hand to his chest, but it was the deep chuckle from the back of the
room that drew my full attention. First, I only glanced over my shoulder. But
glistening sunlight blinded me and I pivoted around sharply.
    For an
immeasurable moment, nothing but bright white fog absorbed and swallowed
everything within reach. Awestruck, I didn’t even squint. Slowly, a tall figure
emerged from this glowing mist. A long, white cloak floated around the person’s
legs while the sleeves, long and wide, covered the masculine hands almost
completely. Fathomless blue eyes appeared next, followed by a smile that could
have melted glaciers in the Arctic.
    Had to be a
reflection of light streaming through the south window. An illusion caused by
today’s stress and tension. But it didn’t disappear.
    Every single
pair of eyes in the room locked onto me with confused stares. Their gawks
prickled my skin all over. Only the illuminated person lowered his gaze. He
retreated a couple of steps to the shadowed line along the back wall. As soon
as he did so, the fog around him disappeared and I could make out the fine
features of a young man. A casual pair of blue jeans and a black leather jacket
replaced what I was sure had been a white cloak.
    Obviously, they
had to add