bench. She wasn’t even originally seated next to Aaron, but when Jose Luiz claimed to have some fire to put out in a deal he was working on, Aaron felt compelled to slide over a seat so that a federal judge was entertained. He can scarcely remember how one moment they were talking, and before he knew it, they were in an upstairs room.
It might have been years before their sexual life intersected with their professional one. There were forty-one judges in Manhattan, and even though Faith had been on the bench for almost three years already, Aaron had never had a case before her. But a little more than a month after their affair began, Faith’s name came rolling out of the wheel as the judge randomly assigned to preside over the trial of Eric Matthews.
Aaron had been representing Matthews for nearly a year by that point, and he expected Faith to recuse herself. But despite the factthat it violated every ethical canon in the book, Faith said that there was no reason they couldn’t keep their professional and personal relationships separate. “Besides,” she said, “you know cases like this always end in a plea bargain, and so where’s the harm?”
Of course, the case didn’t plead out.
During the trial Faith had been fair, or at least no more unfair to the defense than any other judge might have been. Certainly, Aaron didn’t think it was due to any of her rulings that the jury found Matthews guilty. He had told his client that the odds of an acquittal were slim and had urged a plea deal even before Faith had been named as the presiding judge, but Matthews wouldn’t hear of it.
Aaron expected Matthews to be sentenced to between four and five years, which was what similarly situated defendants had received from other judges. But then Faith dropped the hammer with fourteen years, explaining that the severity was necessary to send a message that financial fraud was every bit as destructive to society as street crime.
Aaron, however, received a very different message. He heard loud and clear that it was over between them.
9
J ust one look at Jeremy Kagan makes it clear why he decided to be the man behind the man. His appearance not only inspires little confidence; it actually creates concern. It’s something about his eyes. The way they seem to always dart around, as if he’s on constant lookout for something to go wrong.
When Kagan extends his hand toward Faith, she can’t help but suppress a laugh. Stuart believes Kagan’s arms are too short for his torso and derisively refers to him as T-Rex.
As they make their way over to the living room, Faith is hoping that Stuart will let her speak with Kagan alone. But like a petulant child, Stuart takes his seat beside them.
“I’m sorry, Stuart,” Kagan says. “Can your wife and I speak privately?”
Stuart looks insulted, although he would be morally outraged if Faith ever tried to sit in on a meeting he was having with a client. He skulks off, muttering something about being in the bedroom if anyone needs him.
Kagan isn’t one for small talk, and so as soon as he hears the bedroom door close, he gets down to business.
“Your Honor, Senator Kheel wanted you to know that he’s already spoken to the White House, and your assignment to the Garkov case is being viewed as a very positive development. So much so that they’ve asked Justice Velasquez to stay on until the end of the Supreme Court’s term in May, in order to give you enough time to finish the case.” He smiles, stretching out his scraggly beard. “In other words, you’re a lock.”
Faith isn’t smiling, however. She knows the part that Kagan has left unsaid.
“I assume it’s not a lock if Garkov’s acquitted,” she says.
Kagan’s cheerfulness vanishes. “Hold on. Do you even see that as a possibility? The White House is banking on the fact that you’re judge and jury on this one. The senator believes it’s what put you over the top.”
From the moment Faith saw Sara’s face
It might have been years before their sexual life intersected with their professional one. There were forty-one judges in Manhattan, and even though Faith had been on the bench for almost three years already, Aaron had never had a case before her. But a little more than a month after their affair began, Faith’s name came rolling out of the wheel as the judge randomly assigned to preside over the trial of Eric Matthews.
Aaron had been representing Matthews for nearly a year by that point, and he expected Faith to recuse herself. But despite the factthat it violated every ethical canon in the book, Faith said that there was no reason they couldn’t keep their professional and personal relationships separate. “Besides,” she said, “you know cases like this always end in a plea bargain, and so where’s the harm?”
Of course, the case didn’t plead out.
During the trial Faith had been fair, or at least no more unfair to the defense than any other judge might have been. Certainly, Aaron didn’t think it was due to any of her rulings that the jury found Matthews guilty. He had told his client that the odds of an acquittal were slim and had urged a plea deal even before Faith had been named as the presiding judge, but Matthews wouldn’t hear of it.
Aaron expected Matthews to be sentenced to between four and five years, which was what similarly situated defendants had received from other judges. But then Faith dropped the hammer with fourteen years, explaining that the severity was necessary to send a message that financial fraud was every bit as destructive to society as street crime.
Aaron, however, received a very different message. He heard loud and clear that it was over between them.
9
J ust one look at Jeremy Kagan makes it clear why he decided to be the man behind the man. His appearance not only inspires little confidence; it actually creates concern. It’s something about his eyes. The way they seem to always dart around, as if he’s on constant lookout for something to go wrong.
When Kagan extends his hand toward Faith, she can’t help but suppress a laugh. Stuart believes Kagan’s arms are too short for his torso and derisively refers to him as T-Rex.
As they make their way over to the living room, Faith is hoping that Stuart will let her speak with Kagan alone. But like a petulant child, Stuart takes his seat beside them.
“I’m sorry, Stuart,” Kagan says. “Can your wife and I speak privately?”
Stuart looks insulted, although he would be morally outraged if Faith ever tried to sit in on a meeting he was having with a client. He skulks off, muttering something about being in the bedroom if anyone needs him.
Kagan isn’t one for small talk, and so as soon as he hears the bedroom door close, he gets down to business.
“Your Honor, Senator Kheel wanted you to know that he’s already spoken to the White House, and your assignment to the Garkov case is being viewed as a very positive development. So much so that they’ve asked Justice Velasquez to stay on until the end of the Supreme Court’s term in May, in order to give you enough time to finish the case.” He smiles, stretching out his scraggly beard. “In other words, you’re a lock.”
Faith isn’t smiling, however. She knows the part that Kagan has left unsaid.
“I assume it’s not a lock if Garkov’s acquitted,” she says.
Kagan’s cheerfulness vanishes. “Hold on. Do you even see that as a possibility? The White House is banking on the fact that you’re judge and jury on this one. The senator believes it’s what put you over the top.”
From the moment Faith saw Sara’s face
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