Murder in the Supreme Court (Capital Crimes Series Book 3) by Margaret Truman Page A

weaknesses?”
    Laurie shrugged. “Clarence knew things about Justice Poulson that evidently could have proved embarrassing to him. What they were I don’t know.” She was not being entirely truthful with Susanna. Her thoughts went back to the night in the Court when she and Clarence were together in her office. She’d just finished reading an analysis of a case he’d written…
    “I envy you,” she’d said.
    “Why?”
    “Your ability to take something as complex as this case, dissect it so quickly and put it all on paper in such a cogent, literate way.”
    He laughed. “Just a combination of genes, superior intellect, sensitivity, native talent and inherent survival instincts.”
    “Justice Conover feels differently about you,” Laurie said, rolling her chair closer to him so that she could seewhat he was reading. It was one of many briefs filed in the
Nidel
v.
Illinois
abortion case.
    “What else is new?” he asked, not looking up.
    “He said you were ruthless and unprincipled.”
    Clarence looked at her and smiled. “What do you care what that senile old creep says?”
    He leaned back in his chair and slowly shook his head. “These justices… They get their butts plopped down in a lifetime job because they spent their careers attending the right political functions, meeting the right people and saying the right things. Then they put on their black robes and make laws, at least when they’re not fighting with their wives or playing footsie with some senator or seeing their shrink.”
    “Like your father—”
    “Yes, like dear old dad, analyst to stars, confidant of the powerful, stroking their egos to make them feel worthy of their exalted positions… Do you know what, Laurie? These same people can be made to squirm when you push the right buttons.” He turned to her and cupped her chin in his hand. “Give us a kiss.”
    “Not here.”
    “Nobody’s around. Come on.”
    He tried to fondle her. She pushed him off. “Clarence, take it easy… later…”
    “Why, because we’re in these hallowed halls? Listen, Laurie, let me tell you a secret. Poulson’s got a closetful of skeletons. I know which closet they’re in and what they look like. He came down hard on me this afternoon and I reminded him, nicely of course, about one of them. He backed down. Oh, he kept his dignity. After all, Chief Justice Jonathan Poulson is, if nothing else, dignified. I loved it. And you can tell that old fool you work for that if he says anything else about me I’ll broadcast his wife’s top-secret erogenous zones.”
    Laurie stood, smoothed her dress and said she had to leave.
    Clarence looked at his watch. “I have an hour.” He stood and put his arms around her. “Plenty of time for us to—”
    She slipped away from him, even though she was tempted in spite of herself, opened the door and went out, trying to shut out the sound of his laughter that trailed her down the corridor….
    Susanna put cash on the check, picked up her handbag from the floor. “What about the other justices, the other clerks? Did any of them feel strongly enough about Clarence to…”
    It seems inconceivable… Clarence was provocative, difficult, but that a justice would… she shook her head.
    They parted on the sidewalk and promised to keep in touch.
    Susanna returned to her office, where she made notes of what had been said during lunch.
    Further down Constitution Avenue Laurie Rawls closed the door behind her in Chief Justice Jonathan Poulson’s chambers and sat herself in a chair. Poulson was behind his desk. He smiled warmly. “Well, how did it go at lunch?”
    “Fine, sir. She’s very nice, very bright, and doing her job.”
    “Yes, well, I hope you don’t mind my encouraging you to accept the luncheon date with Miss Pinscher. When you mentioned it to me, my initial reaction was to counsel against it. After all, there’s a limit to what people should be put through, murder or no murder. But it seemed a good chance to