The Tenth Justice - Brad Meltzer [43]
“You knew?” Nathan asked. “You knew and you didn’t stop him?”
“There was no stopping him,” Ober explained. “You know how Eric gets when he’s in reporter mode. He’s out to win the Pulitzer.”
“Did you at least say something to him?”
“Of course,” Ober said. “He wouldn’t listen. Besides, it was too late. He told me last night.”
“I’ll tell you one thing, their friendship is over,” Nathan said, picking up the knocked-over papers. “And Ben is not a person you want as your enemy.”
“He’s definitely going to kill him,” Ober said.
“Absolutely. He’ll never forgive this. And no matter how long it takes him, he’s going to make sure Eric’s miserable.”
“Maybe we should make up a flyer for a new roommate,” Ober said,
“Actually, why don’t you do that at work today? It’ll say: Wanted, semi-messy roommate to replace our old dead one. Must be willing to live with one genius, one monkey, and one Supreme Court clerk who’s recently acquired a taste for blood.”
As he approached the Supreme Court, Ben struggled to calm himself. Taking deep, slow breaths, he climbed the stairs and entered the marble edifice. Biting the inside of his cheek, he showed his I.D. and walked around the metal detector. He made every attempt to appear calm, taking extra-small strides to slow himself down. Walking through reception, he was relieved to see that Nancy wasn’t in yet. As he entered his and Lisa’s office, he lightly shut the door behind him.
“I guess you saw it,” Lisa said, the paper open on her desk.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Ben said, heading directly for his desk. “He’s a dead man.”
“Have you talked to him?”
“He ran out before I got up. Has anyone said anything yet?”
“Nothing so far. It’s only seven, though. The day is young.”
“That’s just great. Thanks for that piece of advice.”
“Listen, it’s only the Washington Herald. Everyone in this town knows it’s a right-wing, lunatic paper. No one takes it seriously.” Getting no response from Ben, she added, “It didn’t even make the front page.”
“Terrific. I’m thrilled.”
“Listen, it could be worse. At least he didn’t say that it was a clerk.”
“Well then, I’m tickled-fuckin’-pink,” Ben said, his voice rising. “It’s all okay now. I don’t have to worry. My career is just perfect. Thanks, Sally Sunshine, for showing me the way.”
“Listen, I don’t need your asshole tone,” Lisa yelled across the desk. “I was just trying to help.”
“Well, sorry if I’m not in the mood.”
“It has nothing to do with being in the mood,” she said. “If you want to be miserable, go right ahead. But don’t take it out on me.”
“I’m sorry,” Ben said, leaning back in his chair. “I really am. I’m just scared about this whole thing.”
“And you deserve to be. I’d want to kick the crap out of him.”
“I have no idea what to do.”
“Well, I hate to be the one to say this, but there’s not a lot you can do about it now. We have to get the Russell decision done, and I still haven’t seen your first draft.”
“Can’t you do it?”
“Oh, don’t even think that,” Lisa warned. “I’m your friend, and I’m here whenever you want to talk, but don’t think you’re getting out of your work just so you can sulk all day.”
“C’mon. I’d do it for you.”
“Are you crazy? While you’re writing Russell and Pacheco, I’m editing Oshinsky, and Lowell Corp., and Pacific Royal, and Schopf. And we haven’t even started working on Grinnell, which is scheduled to be announced at the end of the month.”
“So what are you saying?”
“What I’m saying is, don’t leave work and run down to the Washington Herald to confront your roommate, which I know you’ve been planning to do since you saw the damn article.”
Ben fought a smile. “That’s not what I was thinking.”
“Oh, really?”
“I was going to wait until lunch to go down there.”
At eleven-thirty, Ben’s phone rang. “Hello, Justice Hollis’s chambers,” he said, picking up the receiver.
“Ben Addison? This is the Supreme Court security office. We need to speak to you. We believe you may be leaking information to the public.”
“E-excuse me?” Ben said, panicking.
“Just kidding!” Ober said. “It’s just me.”
“Don’t do