I Am Your Judge: A Novel Read Online Free PDF

attempted to expose his errors in order to nab his job as the head of K-11. Undoubtedly, she was the best colleague he’d ever had, and the thought that he would have to solve the murder of the old lady from Eschborn without her made him more uneasy than he wanted to admit. The sliding door opened. He turned his head and was astonished to see his eldest daughter, Rosalie.
    “Hey, sweetheart, why are you up so early?”
    “I couldn’t sleep anymore,” she said. “Too many things running through my head.”
    “Come here.” Bodenstein scooted over a bit. She sat down next to him. For a while, father and daughter enjoyed the view and the quiet of this early winter morning. He could sense that something was bothering her, but he wanted to wait for her to bring it up herself. Her decision to take a position as sous-chef in one of the best hotels in New York City at the age of twenty-four was courageous, especially for Rosalie. Since childhood, even the tiniest change had brought on abdominal pain. She had finished her training as a chef the previous year by winning best in her class, and her mentor, the star chef Jean-Yves St. Clair, had advised her to spend some time abroad to gain experience.
    “I’ve never been away from here for longer than a week or two,” she began quietly. “And I’ve never lived alone before. Only with Mama or with you. And now America, all of a sudden, New York!”
    “Some birds leave the nest earlier, some later,” Bodenstein replied, putting his arm around her shoulders. She tucked her legs up and snuggled against him under the warm blanket. “Plenty of young people move out to pursue their studies but still cling to their parents’ lifeline for years. You’ve been making your own money for a long time and you’re very independent. Besides, you’ve pretty much managed the whole household. Do you know how much I’m going to miss that?”
    “I’m going to miss you, too, Papa. I’ll miss everything here. I’m not much of a city person.” Rosalie leaned her head on his shoulder. “What am I going to do if I get homesick?”
    “First of all, I don’t think you’re going to have much time for feeling homesick,” Oliver said. “But if it does happen, you can Skype with the people you’re missing, or even call them on the phone. On weekends or whenever you have a couple of days free, you can go out to Long Island or up to the Berkshires. They’re only a few hours away from New York. And if I know your mother, she’s bound to go and visit you.”
    “I suppose so,” said Rosalie with a sigh. “I’m looking forward to New York, and to the job and the new people. And yet I still feel queasy about the whole thing.”
    “If you felt any other way, it wouldn’t be normal,” he replied. “In any case, I’m incredibly proud of you. Back when you first started studying to be a chef, I was convinced that it was only an act of defiance on your part and that you’d soon throw in the towel. But you not only toughed it out, you turned into an excellent chef.”
    “There were times when I felt like giving up,” Rosalie admitted. “I never had time to go out with my girlfriends to parties, concerts, or clubs. But somehow they were all so … aimless. And I was the only one who found her dream job.”
    Oliver smiled in the dark. Rosalie was truly a lot like him, and not only when it came to her attachment to her hometown and her sense of family. Like him, she was also prepared to take responsibility and to make sacrifices to achieve something that was meaningful for her. From her mother, on the other hand, she’d inherited a great deal of ambition, which he somewhat lacked. It put her in a position to overcome all obstacles.
    “And that’s a valuable thing. Only if you really love doing something do you have a chance of being successful and finding fulfillment in your work,” Oliver said. “I’m convinced that you’ve made the perfect decision regarding your future. The year