Chapter 1: The Forgotten Daughter
The chambers of a Federal Judge are designed to be intimidating. The mahogany walls, the high ceilings, the absolute silence that swallows sound—it all serves to remind visitors of the gravity of the law. I sat behind my desk, the heavy oak surface covered in case files, the golden seal of the United States hanging on the wall behind me.
I signed the final order on a racketeering case I had been overseeing for months. My signature was sharp, practiced, and final.
