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Neither of the defendants had looked quite as confident after that. Guilty on all counts, bank accounts drained by a series of attorneys of decreasing skill and the only bright spot was possible grounds for appeal over the recording, if only they could afford an attorney good enough to make their case.
The recording had of course fallen into the hands of reporters as well. Their bald-faced decision to buy their way into celebrity had not endeared them to the very people they had hoped to impress. The Langhorns were regarded as the type of wannabees that would crash a State dinner. Them that had weren’t sharing with grasping posers.
The final blow had been the court’s decision to gag all mention of and seal the records concerning the cult where both Tam and Nadia had been born, forwarding the matter to Family and Juvenile Court for investigation. Nadia would eventually get her evidence back, but the undoubted sympathy she’d hoped for from the jury hadn’t come to pass either.
Fortune was being awful slow to smile on them.
Kip whispered in Tam’s ear. “I want Judge Warren to rule the world.”
Tam nodded and whispered back, “I’m sorry, honey, but I fell for her hard when she gave Vernon Markoff fifteen years.”
Kip gave her the look that remark deserved but didn’t say anything because the bailiff announced the judge’s entry into the courtroom. The charges were read and the judge finally spoke.
Kip covered Tam’s hand with her own.
“In considering the facts of this case,” Judge Warren read aloud from her prepared notes, “as well as the nature of the crimes and the motivation behind them, I have taken into account that no weapons were used in the course of the felony acts. Therefore the maximum sentence is proscribed by law. I have considered the statements of contrition by the defendants, which would suggest that a long rehabilitation would be unnecessary.”
Kip felt Tam’s hand twitch. It wasn’t sounding like a heavy sentence so far—the Langhorns could get as little as seven years, with half that sentence served on probation.
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“Prison, however, serves more than one purpose.
Rehabilitation is one. Punishment is another. In spite of the defendants’ belief that prison is little more than a sequestered writing retreat, it is supposed to punish, as long as it’s not in cruel or unusual ways. In my years on the bench I have seen many defendants who were motivated by greed and ambition, and even a desire for notoriety. In most of those cases, the defendants perceived no other option when they chose a criminal act. What I find disturbing in this case is that the defendants had choices and opportunities of many legal kinds. From dozens of lawful options, they elected to commit their crimes as if choosing the right suit for a job interview.”
Kip squeezed Tam’s hand and held her breath.
“Having been found guilty of all charges against them, I hereby sentence both defendants to serve the maximum sentence of twelve years—”
Pandemonium erupted. Bloggers rushed for the doors in a race to be the first to report on the outcome. Kip couldn’t hear what the judge was saying, but Nadia had put her head in her hands. Maybe she’d done the math. Even if they got out halfway through, with the rest to be served on probation, six years was twice what Nadia had counted on. Six years without Botox was a long time.
She had moments of feeling sorry for Nadia, but they were brief. Her childhood had been a nightmare, but she’d put together a good life. There had been no reason to gamble that life to try for something more. Nadia didn’t have to be like Tam—after all, Tam was an exceptional woman—but she could have stayed Nadia Langhorn. Now she was nobody.
Tam squeezed her hand hard. Stealing a glance at her face, Kip saw a triumphant relief. The system worked, at least in this case. Everything they’d done then and since mattered. Though it wasn’t always so, justice had been served this time.
Poor Ted and Nadia. Kip thought bitterly that if she worked at it real hard she could shed a half a tear for their fate.
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Finally finished giving reaction interviews and able to make their escape, Tam was still stunned as they got into Kip’s Camry.
“Twelve years,” she repeated. “It’s more than I had hoped, even.”
“I admit I was worried for a moment there. But it’s okay if you’re in love with the judge. I am too, now.”
Tam’s mobile chimed. She checked the display. “It’s Hank.
This won’t take long.”
Even though she didn’t intend to gossip, it was impossible not to give Hank her impressions of the sentencing. The call took longer than she had intended. It was Friday evening, and she tried very hard not to work on Friday nights. They didn’t always get Date Night, but it was still a shared goal.
After she hung up she beamed at Kip. “It’s been a great week.”
“It has.”
Tam prodded her gently in the side. “You got your last two clients.”
Kip gave her a mega-watt smile. “I did. God bless rock and roll.”“Are you really happy?” Tam had meant it to sound like a joke, but it came out as a serious question.
“Yes, silly. How many times do I have to say it?”
“One more, I guess.” She looked happy, Tam thought. Her lovely blue eyes were full of light and joy. She smiled deeply and often. The creases of worry and stress had all but gone. Still, Tam needed to be reassured from time to time that her wife had no regrets for the unexpected turn her career had taken.
Kip took her gaze off the rush-hour traffic long enough to give Tam a serious look. “I have you. I had time for lunch with Jen the other day. And I have some really fun work that, at the moment at least, doesn’t involve numbering exhibits or filing reports for the court. Just a handful of highly strung recording artists who want to be sure their managers, agents and promoters aren’t robbing them blind.” She bounced in the driver’s seat. “I am expected to suspect everyone. They love it when I’m paranoid 253
on their behalf. I get to put on my mirror sunglasses and ask people questions, and they have to answer me or risk losing their star client. I don’t even have to read people their rights. It’s a dream come true.”
Tam laughed. “Your grandfather would approve?”
“Well, I’m not looking out for POTUS. But there are shockingly large sums of money involved and I’m trying to keep people honest. I’m still floored that Jen’s boyfriend Luke, of all people, recommended me to that first band when they were complaining during a recording session.”
Tam finally took in their surroundings. They weren’t anywhere near home and she’d been planning a memorable evening in front of the view with Kip that included, when they were exhausted by other things, watching the summer sun set over the Sound. They were skirting the edge of Lake Union, which was shimmering under the cloudless sky. “Why are we headed this way?”
“Part of our original deal was that you keep your promises, and you’ve been promising me a honeymoon for months.”