Chapter 7
Waynesville, NC
ERNEST LED US down another hall and opened a door. Letters stenciled on the glass identified the office as “Judge Williams’ Chambers.” We followed Ernest inside and found yet another secretary sitting at a desk.
“Hello, Susan,” Ernest said. “I believe His Honor is expecting us.”
“Go right in, Mr. Rodgers,” she said, pointing at an inner door. Ernest opened the indicated door and we followed him inside.
“Good morning, Ernest,” a voice said. I looked in the appropriate direction and saw a somewhat fat-looking man (it was hard to tell because he was seated behind a desk) with a bad case of male pattern baldness and an even worse comb-over. “You folks find seats, and we’ll get this procedure going.”
Ernest and Charles took chairs on the left side of the judge’s
