I never told my mother-in-law I was a judge. To her, I was just a kept woman on unemployment. Hours after my C-section, she burst into my room with adoption papers, mocking me: “You don’t deserve a VIP room. Give one of the twins to my infertile daughter; you can’t handle two.” I hugged my babies and pressed the panic button. When the police arrived, she screamed that I was crazy. They proceeded to restrain me… until the chief recognized me…

“That’s called keeping a low profile for security reasons, ma’am,” I said, wiping a trace of blood from my lip. “My job involves sentencing drug traffickers and terrorists. I don’t go around announcing that to people I don’t trust. And, it seems my instinct was right not to trust you.”

“But… but…” Mrs. Sterling backed away until she hit the wall. “You can’t be a judge! You don’t wear a suit! You don’t make money!”

“I work remotely when I have a high-risk pregnancy,” I said. “And my ‘consulting’ involves reviewing appeal briefs that determine the fate of people far smarter and more dangerous than you. As for the money, Ms. Sterling, my salary pays the mortgage you think Mark is covering.”

I looked at Mike. “Put her in handcuffs. I want to press charges for assault, attempted kidnapping, and child endangerment. I want her out of this room immediately.”

“With pleasure, Your Honor,” Mike said.

He stepped forward and pulled out a couple of plastic cable ties.

“No! He can’t touch me! My son is a lawyer!” Mrs. Sterling shrieked when Mike grabbed her wrists.

“Your son handles traffic cases in the suburbs,” I said calmly. “I preside over a federal court. I think I know the law a little better than he does.”

Chapter 5: The Verdict

As Mike dragged the screaming Mrs. Sterling toward the door, Mark came running in.