He watched as she moved her hand away from his and regretted touching her inappropriately, "Well coffee, as well as we need to go over your schedule. I am going to need to know where you are at just about every moment of the day. Also do you have a driver?" he asked looking at her as he pulled a notebook out form his inside jacket pocket and waited for her response.
"Okay umm… coffee, best place is down stairs in the lobby. Marie here has my work schedule and my personal one she can get a copy of that for you off of my computer while I am in court. There was something else you asked, Oh yeah, no I don’t have a driver."
"You do now." He said as he closed the notebook and turned to walk out of the office, "I need you to stay here until I get back. I am going to do a quick sweep of the building and the security office. Grab a cup of coffee and if you need anything while I am gone here is my card." He said handing both Marie and Evangeline a card. "It has my pager number, home number, and cell phone number on it. All of those are always on." He left the office and walked down the stairs to check out the security for the building. It being a court house and all, security was pretty tight but he had to know what he was working with.
The door closed behind him and Marie grabbed her chest and fell back in her chair, "My oh my. That is one fine looking man." She said play panting after John.
"Marie you are married." Evangeline said looking back at her.
"That doesn’t mean that I can’t look." She said laughing at her statement. "But your honor you do have to admit that he is a very I mean very attractive man."
"If you like that type." She said walking back to her office, "That he is that he is." She said under her breath.
Evangeline walked back into her chambers and sat down in her chair. She turned to her computer and brought up her schedule for the rest of the week to give to John when he came back. Her mind flashed back to her first meeting with the FBI agent. She got a cool chill as saw his smile and piercing blue eyes staring back at her. She shook her head to try and shake the image of the attractive man that had suddenly with out warning taken over her life and was their to protect and serve.
An hour later a knock came at her door, "Come in." she said.
"Excuse me your honor. But it is five till ten, are you ready?" Marie asked stepping into her office.
"Thank you Marie. I didn’t realize how late it was."
"I could tell, you haven’t left your office since Agent McBain left." She said pulling the Judge’s robe from the closet and holding it out for her.
Evangeline walked over to Marie and stuck her arms in the robe, "Has he made it back yet? We need to get going. I hate when people are late to my court, so I don’t want to be a late either." She said zipping the robe up and fixing her hair in the mirror of her closet.
"No he hasn’t made it back yet." She replied as she took a lint brush to the robe.
"Damn it Marie, this is not going to work. I can’t have my own "bodyguard" making me late to my appointments and trial dates." She said turning to face Marie with a stern look on her face.
"I am never late." John said as he walked in on Marie and Evangeline talking. "Sorry to keep you waiting Judge Williamson are you ready to go?" he asked walking further into the office.
Evangeline smiled at John and led the way out of the office with out a word back to him. They walked down the back hallways of the court house to Court room 6.
"All rise, the Honorable Evangeline Williams presiding." The bailiff yelled as everyone in the court room stood and watched her walk into the court room. She took the bench and sat down. "Be seated." He said after she sat down.
"Mr. Richardson I understand you are having some problems with your defense." She said looking at the defense council.
"Yes your honor I am." He said walking in to the center of the court room.
John made his way into the courtroom and stood at the back he caught Evangeline’s eyes and nodded friendly at her and then scanned the court room for anyone "suspicious characters". He moved quietly around the court room as to not arouse curiosity. He kept a strong eye on Ramirez the defendant, and wondered who the gentleman was sitting behind him talking to him every once and a while. John kept his focus between Ramirez and Evangeline. He never really watched a court proceeding and was amazed at how in control of the court room she was. No one got away with anything in her court room. She was strong yet compassionate all at the same time.
The pre-trial motions were filed and ruled upon while the attorneys fought over everything from where the trial should be held to when jury selection should begin. Evangeline adjourned the court for lunch and John met her in the back hallway.
"I have lunch plans with another Judge are you coming with me to that too?" she asked in a slightly annoyed voice.
He grabbed her arm and pulled her back, "What seems to be the problem your honor?" he asked staring back at her intensely. He felt the hostility that was coming from her and wondered where it came from all of a sudden.
"Let go of me." She said looking at his hand that rested on her upper arm. He removed his hand from her and she continued to walk down the hall with him cashing after her.
"I asked you a question. I thought we had an understanding about everything that was going on." He asked with a confused look.
"Oh, we do Agent McBain. It is just…." Her voice trailed off.
"I am sorry. I should have known. It was Ramirez wasn’t it?’ he asked. He remembered that Ramirez was in the court room and she had to be in his presence for several hours.
She stopped mid step and turned to face the Agent, "Yes Agent McBain. I had to sit in a courtroom that with a man that may have someone try and kill me. It would only make sense that I would be a little shaken up by that, don’t you think." She ended her statement as she entered her office and saw Marie sitting at her desk on the phone. She walked past Marie and right into her office and unzipped her robe and sat at her desk. She took a deep breath and placed her head in her hands.
John walked into her chambers and closed the door behind him. He stood in front of the door and stared at the visibly shaken woman. He had only known her for a few hours but could tell that she was not use to this type of stress. "I understand you fear. That is why I am here. To help alleviate that." He said finally breaking the silence in the room.
She looked back up at him and forced a weak smile, "I understand that. Really I do. I guess I am not use to this type of situation." She said leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes.
He took a seat across from her and scooted the chair up as close as possible to the desk, "Your honor listen to me. I am going to do everything that I can to keep you safe. You have my word as a Man and as an officer of the Federal Government on that."
His words hit her hard. She had not known this man for very long but could tell that he was sincere in his motives and words to her. She felt at ease with this man and didn’t know why. She trusted this man with her life so quickly, quicker than she thought possible and it scared her. "Thank you Agent McBain. Could you excuse me for a moment." She asked looking back at him.
"Of course. I will be right out side talking with Marie about getting your schedule. Let me know if you need anything. We have to leave for lunch in 15 is that correct?" he asked moving towards the door.
"Yes, I will be ready, I just need a moment to myself." She replied.
He nodded and then excused himself from her chambers and went to talk with Marie.
Evangeline picked up her phone as soon as John left the room. "Umm, yes Special Agent Reese Marshall please." She said running her hand over her face and taking deep slow breaths.