Savage (A Blood Feud Novel)

Chapter One

Town of Aigneis County

Henry Patterson, a local town judge, exited his office and strolled down the sidewalk to a pub called Gilligan's. He would shoot the bird with Sean, the pub owner and bartender, enjoy a few drinks and bring home and entertain a few *guests of honors* who'd be willing to submit to Henry's bidding.

Henry wasn't an honorable man by any stretch of the imagination. He liked that he enjoyed certain privileges and could get away with certain things deemed unethical since he was the top lawman in the town. Honest cops, prosecutors and assault advocates hated his guts.

"How are things buddy?" Sean said as Henry entered. Henry sat in front of Sean at the counter.

"They're fine as usual," Henry said. "Everyone is in a good mood it seems."

"Well, you wouldn't know it," Sean said. "I've heard snippets that a state judge has been shacking up with a cop's wife. You heard anything on your end?"

Henry smiled. "You sure it was a judge?"

Sean handed Henry a glass of Budweiser. "There's only four or five of you on the bench in this town. There's also a judge from another town nearby who sometimes works here."

"You mean, Judge Ian Schoenberg," Henry said after taking a sip. "I knew Schoenberg back at Yale law school. He's a sharp mind too."

"I bet you do," Sean said with a wink.

Henry said, "So, how have things gone here?"

"Well, things are steady as usual," Sean said. "There's been a rumor about a serial killer who resurfaces."

"I've heard about it from Judge Sampson," Henry said. "He said it's the work of the local town paper, Aignéis Daily. It's on a case dating back a few years."

"Yeah," Sean said. "You mean the girl's body found alongside a dirt road just off the Canadian border? It was a fucking disgrace."

"The whole damn country's becoming a disgrace," Henry said. Sean shook his head in agreement.

Henry took several sips of his drink. He said, "I'm thinking about catching a piece of the ass. I get bored being shacked up in that fancy office."

"Try standing behind a counter every day then," Sean said. "Not to mention the drunks and bar fights."

"You've no idea what it's like to be a judge," Henry said. "I get to do things to people I wouldn't do any other job."

Then a young woman walked into the bar. Henry and Sean saw the woman and their eyes fixated on her. Henry marveled.

Rachal Gardner noticed Henry and smiled at him. She wore a red leather coat with dark blue Denim and long red boots. She was pretty, with a narrow face and her chestnut brown hair ponytail.

Henry could feel his weight pull out from underneath. Rachel was impeccable, unlike anything the judge had seen before. She glanced around the bar before went to the counter. Other patrons had noticed Rachel too and were just as fixated as Sean and Henry.

The place had gone quiet. All eyes were on the woman. She sat next to Henry, put her hands on the counter and winked at the judge.

"My name is Rose," Rachel said. "I'm coming from Boston. You're Henry Patterson, am I right?"

Henry looked at Sean, who looked at the judge in near befuddlement. He handed Rachel a similar drink. Rachel thanked Sean then turned her gaze on Henry.

"Y-yes, I'm a judge," Henry said. "You said you were Bostonian?"

"Yes," Rachel said. "a man named Jack Schoenberg, Judge Schoenberg's son sent me. He's attending law school at Harvard. Jack says hi."