Bitter Falls (Stillhouse Lake) by Rachel Caine
Author:Rachel Caine [Caine, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781542042338
Published: 2020-01-20T16:00:00+00:00
16
GWEN
Jail brings flashbacks of being arrested on the day Melvin was caught. I was held for days before they finally charged me too. Not pleasant memories, and I try to remember that time is over, and this is a different situation. I still have to spend my time behind bars going through all my coping exercises, one after another, to keep myself from feeling the panic that knocks on the door of my head. It almost works.
When they call me out for my hearing, I fight to keep my head above the tide of utter despair that threatens to engulf me, the impulse to panic and fight and run. I think I’m succeeding at that too.
Until I’m not. Because the small courtroom is packed to the gills with reporters. I should have realized that would happen; no doubt they were given the heads-up, and ever since Melvin’s trial my name is instant news catnip. I’m dealing with that, or at least I think I am, until the sight of J. B. Hall’s friendly middle-aged face takes my knees out from under me. Relief hits so hard it feels abusive. I sway, and the deputy puts a hand on my shoulder to steady me. She’s a big woman, and she gives me a concerned look. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” I tell her, though it’s true only in the broadest sense. She takes me through the wooden gate to the defendant’s table, where my lawyer is standing up studying a file folder. He’s a round African American man with triple chins and an old suit, and he greets me professionally and seems damn competent. I’ll get through this. I’ve been through this before, charged as Melvin’s accomplice. Charged, and acquitted. I survived that, with a packed courtroom full of shouting, angry people beaming real hate at me. I can certainly do this.
The fact that I want to curl up in a ball and scream uncontrollably that I have to go through this again is beside the point. I put on my game face and nod to my lawyer like I’m a pro, and he shakes my hand. I sit. He does, too, a little abruptly. “This should go fast,” he says. “They’re arraigning you for felony assault. I assume you’re pleading . . .”
“Not guilty.”
“Okay, that keeps it simple. Anything you need to tell me?”
“It’s total bullshit.”
“Good enough.”
I turn to look at J. B. Hall, who’s claimed the seat right behind me. She looks as sharp as I remember: an older pale woman, dressed in an effortlessly intimidating pantsuit. No makeup, a blunt haircut, and everything about her radiates competence and power.
She leans forward. There are journalists on either side of her, but she cheerfully ignores them.
“Hey,” she says. “So. I was hoping this would get dismissed before we got to this point, but the DA is a prick and he wants to coast on your notoriety while he can. You all right?”
I’m not, but I nod. “Thanks for coming,” I say.
“No problem. Soon as this is done, I’ll get you out of here.
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