Judge Halloway nodded to the bailiff. He walked over slowly and held out his hand. Nolan carefully placed the tiny card in his palm, like he was handing over a baby bird.
“Thank you, Nolan,” the judge said. “That was very brave. You can sit down now, next to your mom.”
Nolan climbed back into his chair. He was shaking.
I put my arm around him and held on.
“We’ll take a thirty-minute recess,” Judge Halloway said. “Counsel and both parties, I’ll want to see you in chambers. We’ll review this together.”
She looked at Nolan one more time.
“And somebody,” she said, “get this young man a cup of hot chocolate.”
Part Seven: In Chambers
The judge’s chambers were small and warm, with bookshelves to the ceiling and a framed photograph of two golden retrievers on the desk.
Grant sat in a chair by the window. Mr. Carroway sat beside him with his briefcase on his lap. I sat across from them with my folder. A court officer set up a laptop on the corner of the judge’s desk.
