The Judgement of Sarah Solomon

By Raymond Boyd

His writing became strictly out of curiosity. His wife Gloria, has went to New York to have dinner and to see the acclaimed production of “Dracula”, Starring Frank Langella. As an ardent fan of movies , and comic books. “Dick Tracy, Flash Gordon, and Tarzan, Superman.” Etcetera. In all there was a common denominator, that they all had a beginning except “Dracula” He discussed that fact with his wife. As he was explained Dracula’s origin, or what his aversion to wine, sunlight. The holy Eucharist, crucifix, and mirrors. Also the ability to become invisible, transform into a wolf. Therefore Boyd, decided to supply the mystifying answers!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781456867645

Raymond Boyd

Those that wear the black robe are entrusted to dispense impartially the law of the land. Many of them are arrogant and corrupt. They must all assume a God like persona. Fortunately they are often stymie by the advocacy. R.B.

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Copyright © 2011 by Raymond Boyd.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 10/08/2021

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Contents

Acknowledgement

Prologue

Chapter 1: The Judgment of Sarah Solomon

Chapter 2: Best Friends

Chapter 3: Equal Justice for All

Chapter 4: Embarrassed

Chapter 5: Connecting the Dots

Chapter 6: Whodunit?

Chapter 7: The Honorable Judge Sarah Solomon

Chapter 8: How Say Ye

Chapter 9: The Question

Chapter 10: Dilemma

Chapter 11: Quagmire

Chapter 12: Sweet Mystery of Life

About the Author

Dedication

To my two sons, Michael and Joel,

whose literary works I eagerly anticipate.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

THE PASSING OF my wife Gloria, on August 18, 2000 has created a void in my life where agony and despair reside; but when I am in the ebb of such darkness it’s then as always that I can literally sense her presence and encouragement awakening me to the realization that our separation is only temporary.

My gratitude to my son Joel

for his invaluable assistance and the kindliness

of his dearest friend Mercedes Moore.

PROLOGUE

SARAH SOLOMON AND Irene Lanza both were born into a life of privilege; they were kindred spirits. Their fathers were successful business partners. Sarah and Irene, unlike many others that came into existence with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths and lived lives of self-indulgence, as preteen-agers they had committed themselves to a life benefiting the underprivileged. Sarah chose the practice of law; she excelled in her studies and graduated at the top of her class. Sarah’s work and dedication as an assistant prosecutor won her the admiration of her peers, resulting in her appointment to a judgeship. It was then her life took a turn beyond her imagination. Before Sarah could don the black robe, she had an accident, resulting in her remaining comatose for nine months, Sarah awakened with a paranormal ability that would enable her to surpass the others that dispense justice, and yet in her personal life, Sarah had to seek out a psychiatrist to interpret why, within weeks of her marriage, she dreamed nightly that Popeye, the cartoon character, is standing by her side in place of her intended.

Irene Lanza decided she was best suited for a career in law enforcement.

After completing college and earning a degree in criminology, Irene then

took the exam for admittance into Philadelphia’s Police Department. She graduated first place at the academy. She rose quickly through the ranks. Neither she nor Sarah was aware that an aspect of the paranormal would play a part in their professional careers that necessitated Sarah to be regressed in search of the origin of her ability to discern the guilt or innocence of those on trial in her courtroom.¹

CHAPTER 1

The Judgment of Sarah Solomon

THIRTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD SARAH SOLOMON awakened slowly. She gazed in bewilderment at the unfamiliar surroundings of the sterile atmosphere that could only be found in the confines of a hospital. Her awakening triggered the sensor attached to her body, activating the beeping sound in the monitoring station fifteen feet away manned by one of three nurses assigned to the care of eight comatose patients in eight-hour shifts.

Kimberly Boyer had begun the first ten minutes into her 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM shift. The blinking light on the monitoring apparatus alerted her to the patient that had activated the signal.

Dr. Mark Lawrence, a resident intern, had just exited the elevator as Nurse Boyer was about to approach the patient. Seeing the doctor, she informed him excitedly, saying that, We have an awakening.

Who is the lucky person? he asked with an expression of delight. They both hurriedly walked to the bedside of Sarah.

How do you feel, Ms. Solomon? Nurse Boyer asked.

Fine, replied Sarah, and may I have a glass of water?

Of course you can. Nurse Boyer stepped back from Sarah’s bedside and went to get a cup and pitcher of water. Dr. Lawrence bent over slightly and, with his stethoscope, listened to the rhythmic heartbeat of Sarah. Pleased by what he heard, he then inquired if she was cognizant of her whereabouts.

She smiled and replied, Yes, I am in the Jefferson Hospital. In his best bedside manner, he suggested she remain quiet for the present. I am sorry, Doctor, I will not. First of all, I am famished.

Be that as it may. Your first meal shall be a liquid breakfast consisting of beef broth and green tea. I’ll see to it now, also I am going to have Nurse Boyer take a little blood from you.

Sarah was about to object, not for the blood test, but the so-called breakfast. Her instinct forewarned her that Dr. Lawrence was not a man to yield when he ordered what was best in his medical opinion for a patient. She withheld her objection and smiled seductively as she was overcome with the compelling desire to have him kiss her.

He then advised her that he was going to have an X-ray taken of her head, adding that he would very much like to see what’s inside of it, he said with a wink.

Why bother, Doctor, I can tell you now if you like, Sarah replied with a wink.

Are you flirting with me, Judge? he jokingly asked as he wrote the order for her X-ray.

You be the judge, Doctor, Sarah replied.

I will see you in three hours. Now I need you to rest. At that moment, Nurse Boyer returned with the pitcher of water. Sarah had taken several sips, she thanked the nurse, and said, You should go home, your mother is going to need you very soon. She is about to give your baby boy a bath.

Stunned by the revelation, Nurse Boyer asked with bated breath, How do you know about my mother and son?

Hadn’t your mother dropped a carton of milk as you were getting dressed for work this morning?

Yes, but what are you saying?

I suggest you leave now, then Sarah strongly emphasized You do need to go now, the nurse that you relieved is returning, she had forgotten her purse.

Convinced by Sarah’s telling of the carton of milk dropped by her mother and the appearance of Betty, the nurse she had just relieved, she left Sarah’s bedside, telling Betty she may have an emergency at home.

Her home was one block from the hospital. Heart-pounding minutes later, as she fumbled with her keys in an attempt to insert the right one to unlock the door, she bit her lip. The taste of blood and the shock of pain had the desired effect as she entered. Her mother was coming down the stairs, Why are you back home, Kimberly?

Where is the baby, Mother? she replied in response.

I have just a few minutes ago given him a bath and put him in his crib. And now I am going to have a cup of coffee, would you like me to pour you one also, dear? And why is your lip bleeding, did you fall down?

No, Mother, I did not, I must get back to work. I’ll just go up and look in on Bobby. Breathing a sigh of relief, she ascended the stairs to her bedroom where she saw her child sleeping peacefully. Her thoughts were to return to work; her attention was now focused on the blood-soaked hanky that she pressed to her lip to stymie the flow that caused her to realize she would require a suture or two. She then silently began to reprimand herself for being gullible, believing a woman that had awakened from a nine-month coma had her scurrying home, giving her the symptoms of a coronary. But then again, how could she have known about her mother dropping the carton of milk?

As she proceeded down the stairs, it was then Kimberly was startled by the sound of breaking pottery and a thud of a body collapsing. Within the hour, she was thanking Sarah for saving the life of her mother.

Sarah extracted a promise from Nurse Boyer that she will not tell anyone what had transpired between the two of them.

Dr. Lawrence, as promised, returned to the bedside of his patient with the favorable results of her test, he said with a smile of assurance.

Great, then I can be discharged, Sarah responded hopefully, or is that dimpled smile of yours concealing the fact that I am being overly optimistic?

I see you are perceptive, Ms. Solomon, so I shall be forthright. The fact is you have a small blood clot in your brain. I regret to say there’s nothing that can be done to dislodge it.

That explains it, Sarah murmured with an expression of satisfaction.

May I inquire why you are pleased with the prognosis? Quite frankly, Ms. Solomon, I am confused by your cavalier attitude. As for your being discharged, I would suggest you stay a week.

I will agree, Doctor, on one condition, that you call me Sarah.

Thank you, Sarah, I deem that a privilege. Now can you tell me why you have not asked how long you have been here, also what caused you to be here?

I am here, Doctor, due to the fact I avoided a collision and hit a tree, and it’s been nine months since I have been in a coma. But the decision that I made in my preteen years is what led me to my present circumstance. I do not mean to be curt, Doctor, but the underlying fact is I believe that decisions that are made in the past determine the present. If you are interested, I can give you a . . . synopsis of my life.

Sarah, you have a captive audience of one.

Sarah smiled and said, "As always, to be precise, one should start at the beginning.

"I was born in September 29, 1969, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I haven’t a sibling. My parents, Golda and Samuel Solomon, are not super rich, but we are adequately financially secure. My father, with his friend and partner, owns a chain of food markets, as well as several high-rise apartment buildings. My father’s partner, a general contractor, owned twelve acres of land on Byberry Road. There the land was divided equally, and homes were built.

"Daniel and Catherine Lanza are with their only child, a daughter, Irene, born September 10, 1969. She is the sister I never had, and we are best friends. At age ten, we both decided our profession would be in law. She attended St. Mary’s Parochial Elementary School; I was in Hebrew school. Following our formative years, we attended the same college. Irene and I excelled academically. We were unbeatable in soccer, tennis, and chess. We also were on the debate team. The day before we entered the University Of Villanova, we adopted a mantra, chastity, that was so we wouldn’t be distracted by our hormones.

Four years later, we both entered Princeton. There I earned my degree in law. Irene received her degree in criminology. The rest of my story is a matter of public record. Now, Doctor, I have hopefully to your satisfaction explained, as you called it, my cavalier attitude.

With a smile of uncertainty, Dr. Lawrence arose from his seated position and announced that Sarah’s narrative had been without question the full definition of the word synopsis. Sarah attempted to stifle her laughter but was unable to do so. Her laughter was infectious, causing the doctor to join in and asking when he can expect to hear all that she had neglected to include.

Perhaps after we are married.

At that moment of stunned silence, Nurse Boyer entered, asking if she heard the word marriage. The blush on the face of doctor and patient gave credence to the unanswered question.

Minutes later, Sarah was taken to be given a light massage to help restore muscle tone. Thereafter, a private room was prepared for her. There she would remain during the coming six days. As she sat upright late that evening, Sarah slowly breathed in the scent of the two dozen roses provided by Nurse Boyer as a small token of gratitude. Sarah began to reflect on all she had not revealed in her brief narrative to Dr. Lawrence.

The fact that three months into her first semester, Sarah had temporarily

suspended her mantra and surrendered her virtue. Twenty-year-old Sidney

Katsmen was the recipient of her emotional breakdown. Her only justification

had been she had fallen in love, and she was convinced Sidney loved her also. He was of average height and appearance with the exception of his smile accentuated by perfect teeth. That in itself is credited by the fact both his parents are orthodontists. Sidney’s speaking voice is such that any orator would envy.

Sarah returned to the room she shared with Irene. I have a confession, and I hope you can understand, Sarah said as she entered.

There is no need, Irene interjected.

Well, in that case, I am going to soak myself in a hot bubble bath for the next hour, Sarah replied, thankful that she didn’t have to explain the intimate details of her lovemaking, although the act itself was a disappointment. She submitted to Sidney’s urging of his need to possess her body and soul.

An hour later, having toweled herself and wearing a newly purchased silk robe, she walked into the kitchen. There Irene was brewing a two-cup pot of tea. You were fifteen minutes longer than I, Irene commented when Sarah walked in, asking, How did you know?

Because you had the same expression as I when I walked in an hour before you arrived. But I would venture to say, unlike you, my virtue remains intact.

Pray tell, Sarah responded with mock enthusiasm.

As you well know, I have been dating Billy Carter during the past seven weeks. We were parked in his station wagon in a secluded area. After ten minutes of Billy kissing and groping me, I submitted to his pleading of his need to have me, his haste for self-indulgence, and no doubt, his prurience caused him to be premature. I believe you have the picture, need I say more? Irene asked. Sarah smiled as she reminisced of their pledge to abide by their mantra once again.

The following morning, Nurse Boyer, ten minutes before she was to begin her shift, visited Sarah. You look as if you were a perfect picture of health, she said in awe. Sarah responded, saying that with the exception of the word were, she was correct, and in a few days, the CAT scan, will show the blood clot shall be absent.

I believe you, Judge. May I ask if I will be married in the near future?

No, not for fifteen years, you are destined to continue to do what you are doing, and your son will make you proud, Sarah replied.

Three hours later, Sarah’s parents were giving thanks to the Almighty for their daughter’s remarkable recovery. As they hugged and kissed her, they tearfully offered a mild rebuke that Sarah had not immediately notified them of her recovery. She responded apologetically; she had wished to surprise them and see their reaction.

Days later, Sarah was told by Dr. Harry Gittman, the chief brain surgeon, that he was gratified to inform her she has fully recovered, and in his opinion remarkable, adding that many would not hesitate to proclaim her recovery a miracle. Are you so inclined, Doctor? Sarah asked.

He replied that he had witnessed, during twenty-four years of medical practice, numerous reversals of medical conditions deemed incurable, but there is much the human body is capable of doing by means of healing itself that we have yet to learn. Therefore in answer to your question, I am in the ranks of the skeptics, that is, not to say I disavow the existence of God, now I must bid you a good-bye as I must prepare for surgery within ninety minutes.

Sarah asked if his patient was an elderly woman.

Why, yes, she is, and how would you know that? he replied.

I can tell you that she feels her time in this world is at an end, and she is content.

Are we interrupting? asked Sarah’s parents as they entered as pre-arranged

with her clothing?

No, not at all, replied the doctor, I was saying good-bye to your lovely daughter.

Sarah had called Irene with the news of her recovery, and that she would be home within an hour.

CHAPTER 2

Best Friends

IRENE LANZA WAS born September, 10, 1969. Daniel and Catherine are her parents. They resided in Park East, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Daniel Lanza, a general contractor and developer, with his