“Of course. No worries at all.”
Imani returned. As Sean filled her in, she apologized to Madison and made a few choice comments about Nancy under her breath. For the rest of that afternoon, the three of them worked in silence. There were no cases on in court that day. Everybody kept a low profile in the wake of the confrontation. The judge remained behind closed doors, not showing her face. Madison had hoped to find a moment to speak to her alone and hear what she’d learned about Danny, but it proved impossible.
When she let herself into the town house that evening, she found the judge sitting on the sofa with Lucy on her lap, staring into the fire.
“Nancy wanted me to fire you for lying about your brother. But I refused. We had an argument.”
“Why did you tell her?” she asked.
“I didn’t. She found out … on her own.”
The judge’s tone was hollow. She seemed listless and depressed. The incident had obviously upset her. Well, that made two of them. Was Madison supposed to feel grateful? At this point, if not for Danny, she would quit the internship and have nothing more to do with Judge Conroy. Though Danny wasn’t the only consideration. There was also the not insignificant question of whether they would turn her in for lying.
“Is she going to report me?” Madison asked.
“That’s what you’re worried about?”
“Not the only thing. I’m worried about Danny, too. Did you find out where he is?”
The judge heaved a sigh.
“You’re going to be fine.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just keep your head down. Stay away from Nancy and I can keep her from reporting you.”
“And Danny?”
“I believe he’s safe.”
“Where is he?”
“I told you what I know,” she said, but she wouldn’t meet Madison’s eyes, and her expression was guarded.
“You don’t know where he is?”
“They moved him. The database doesn’t say where to, and I was not able to get that information.”
“Are you serious? I could’ve told you that much.”
“I’m sorry my efforts don’t meet with your approval,” Judge Conroy said acidly.
“You think he’s safe, but you’re not sure?”
“He’s safe for now.”
“For now? What does that mean? Is someone trying to hurt him? And how can they refuse to tell you his location? You’re the judge in his case. There’s something you’re not saying.”
Her eyes flashed. “I go to bat for you with Nancy, and this is the thanks I get? You’re right, there are things I’m not telling you. I can’t. I won’t. This topic is closed. Don’t ask me about him again. Now I’m going to bed. Good night.”
It was just seven o’clock, but the judge picked up Lucy and hurried up the stairs. Madison heard her bedroom door slam. The dramatic exit left her shaken. The topic of Danny was now off-limits with the judge, and she hadn’t learned anything new.
She went up to the attic bedroom and called her mother. Mom had been suffering terribly over Danny’s absence, unable to eat or sleep. Madison wished she had more news. She did her best to put an upbeat spin on it, leading with the fact that Danny was safe, just leaving out the part about “for now.”
Her mother gave a half sob, half sigh. “Gracias a Dios. Where is he? Is it close enough to visit?”
“She doesn’t exactly know where he is. They moved him, possibly due to overcrowding or something. That wasn’t clear.”
“She’s the judge in his case. How can she not know where he is?”
“I hear you, Mom. When I tried to press her on that, she got mad. Like I said, judges are sensitive about people trying to influence them.”
“What are we supposed to do? This isn’t okay. I need to talk to him. Can we get a phone call, at least? Did she say when that might happen?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Can you ask again?”
“No. Not for a while anyway. It would be counterproductive.”
“Madison, please. I can’t go on not talking to my baby. Not knowing how to reach him. It’s killing me. Isn’t there more you can do?”
There really wasn’t. There was nobody to ask beyond Judge Conroy, who now said the topic was closed. And if she’d had any hope of looking into Danny’s case herself by searching court records, Nancy had squelched that by cutting off her computer access.