In the Sheriff's Protection by Lauri Robinson

Author:Lauri Robinson [Robinson, Lauri]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-01-04T20:18:01+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Clara’s entire being shook from the inside out, and she tried her best, her very best, to not look at the man who sat on the center edge of the front row. If her eyes met Tom’s she might not be able to speak. There had been several times while the witness had been speaking that she thought about standing up and stating her request, but had held out, waiting for the moment that felt exactly right.

That was what Angus had said. That she’d know the exact moment. Of course, he’d said it in an idiom that she’d had to decipher, but eventually had. Just as she’d waited until the sound of chairs being shuffled about while the witness had walked forward would disguise her entrance. It had worked. Other than Angus, only one person had noticed her, a man who’d left his seat and gestured for her to take it.

An entire herd of cattle could come through the door right now and no one would be able to hear them. Hugh had jumped to his feet, and a huge black-haired man who had to be Brett Blackwell had instantly grabbed Hugh’s shoulders, shoving him back into his seat.

The lawyer was shouting for the man to release Hugh, while the judge pounded his wooden hammer against his desk, shouting for the lawyer to get his client under control and the room to come to order.

Needing a small amount of support to keep her upright, and knowing she still couldn’t look toward Tom, Clara glanced sideways, toward Angus. With a wink and a nod, he flipped his cane forward.

Her feet felt frozen to the floor, her entire body paralyzed in place, to the point she could barely shake her head.

Angus flipped his cane again.

Praying for strength and fortitude, Clara took a small step. Then, because she was still upright, she took another one. And another. They grew easier then, each step, and they became more forceful. As she walked past the rows of chairs, the room got quieter. By the time she stepped between the two tables, even the lawyer shouting at Brett Blackwell had gone silent.

Hugh, however, shouted something about her not being there. She didn’t hear exactly what he said because the judge had shouted even louder.

“Mr. Wilson, I will hold you in contempt if you don’t quiet down!” The judge pounded against his desk loudly.

Clara took a final step that brought her directly in front of the judge, trying not to flinch as his hammer rapped the top of his desk a final time.

In the silence that followed, her own breathing echoed in Clara’s ears.

Leveling a serious stare on her, the judge asked, “Do you know the consequences of interrupting a court that is in session?”

Blinking at the moisture blinding her, she shook her head. “I apologize, Your Honor. I’ve never been in a courtroom before.”

He leaned closer to his desk. “Who are you?”

Swallowing and hoping her voice wouldn’t crack, she said, “My name is Clara Wilson.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.