Page 56

~ SAM ~

I was a mess when we walked into Court for the arguing of motions. Especially when Bridget wasn’t there by the time we all stood up for the judge.

But she hurried in while everyone found their seats and the judge flipped through papers. My wife was wide-eyed and pale, but she looked for me the second she stepped in the door and took a visible breath when our eyes locked.

So did I. I had to turn back to face the court, but the relief made my head spin.

As everyone settled themselves and gathered their papers, the tension in the room ticked up. Unlike other days, there was little murmuring from the gallery. Even the journalists were poised. Stephen sat next to me on the edge of his seat.

I hadn’t found Jeremy when I scanned the seating, but I hoped wherever he was, he felt all eyes on him.

“Counsel, I see we have several motions filed. Our circus continues. But since we have a motion to dismiss, I’m going to hear arguments for that first because if it’s granted, the rest don’t matter. Unless one of you has objection to that?”

I wasn’t sure if she was being sarcastic. But everyone seemed to be getting ready. Stephen flipped through his folders, pulled one out, then leaned into my ear without turning .

“Now’s the time for you to ask the higher power to get involved.”

I nodded as Stephen rose to his feet, but before he’d even walked to the podium, the pompous prick of a Prosecutor stood up.

“Your Honor, the defense's motion to dismiss relies heavily on a statement from Mrs. Priestley, but we believe we have already established that the credibility of her testimony must be questioned, whether the witness is aware of it or not. The witness holds a clear bias towards the accused, which calls her motives into question. The State argues that this court should give little to no weight to her statement in considering the motion. If you agree, I’d move to deny the motion, as without her testimony, there is no basis on which to call other witnesses.”

“The witness has been heard from your case, Counsel. Now you want the Court to dismiss her testimony? On what grounds?”

“Your Honor, we believe if this testimony were credible, it would have been raised before now. You will see we have filed a motion to admit evidence of witness tampering, and also to amend the indictment. We believe this spurious accusation which is the basis of dismissal was made in retribution and to stay our proceedings, offering the accused more time out of prison.

“I would ask you to consider hearing our motions first so that you could measure how the testimony and evidence goes to motive and—”

“Counsel, your motions call for the same witnesses,” the judge said pointedly.

“Yes, but—”

“I fail to see how you can challenge a motion to dismiss on the basis of credibility of a witness, yet claim those same witnesses as your evidence against them? God, even saying it makes my head spin.”

“Your Honor—”

“Your Honor, if I might make an offer to the Court?” Stephen stood up, but kept his chin low, standing slightly hunched.

“I’ll allow it. ”

Stephen’s lips ticked up towards a smile before he spoke. “Your Honor, if the credibility of Mrs. Priestley is being questioned, the Defense would accept initial testimony from the other witness, Special Agent Jeremy Haines. I believe, if I read the motions correctly, his testimony would be needed in either case. And we believe, Your Honor, that in fact, his testimony is far more crucial to the motion to dismiss. I’m sure the Prosecution wouldn’t call his credibility into question?” Stephen asked slyly.

The Judge’s brows rose and she turned to the Prosecutor. “I find I agree with the Defense, Counsel. Do you have any objection to the calling of your witness, Special Agent Haines?”

The Prosecutor leaned down to hear something from his second chair, then turned back to the judge. And he was seething.”

“Your Honor, of course we don’t discount the credibility of Special Agent Haines. However, we received this motion very late. Special Agent Haines could not be contacted last night, and is not present in the Court. I would be forced to move for a stay until he could be located and brought to Court.”

The Judge’s lips thinned. “Special Agent Haines has been present in this courtroom every day until now, Counsel.”

“Yes, Your Honor. Unfortunately, as I said, we received this motion very late and he could not be—”

“Let’s not waste any more time, Counsel. The court finds that the missing witness's testimony is material to the case. In the interest of justice, the court orders a stay of proceedings to allow reasonable time for the witness to be located and brought before the court. This delay is necessary to ensure a fair trial for both parties.

“The court grants a stay of proceedings for a period of two days to allow the prosecution time to locate and secure the witness. If the witness is not produced by then, the court will reassess whether the trial may proceed without their testimony… or whether this case may be dismissed."

“Your Honor—”

“You used the word spurious a moment ago, Counsel. Be certain that I am not using it on Friday. Court is dismissed.”

Then she banged her gavel and everyone stood up for her to leave .

The moment she was gone, Stephen turned to me.

I was gaping. “She didn’t make a decision, right?”

“No, but she let the Prosecution know she saw through the bullshit of Jeremy not being here today.”

I looked over my shoulder at Bridget who was staring at me, her face pale and deep shadows under her eyes. We’d agreed to have no contact until this was done, so there were no more risks of us defeating ourselves. But she looked terrible.

“So now we have to wait again? For two more days?”

“Oh, I doubt that,” Stephen said, then smiled.

“What?” I asked quickly. “Why are you smiling?”

He leaned into my ear. “Because I have a hunch that I’ll be hearing from the Prosecution with an amended plea deal very soon,” he murmured. “After all, we’ve only got forty-eight hours before they have to show up with Jeremy here. This is good sign, Sam. A very good sign.”

“So? What do we do?”

“We wait,” he said, then put a hand on my shoulder. “You enjoy your freedom. And you pray it becomes a permanent state.”

Then he clapped me on the arm, smiled at his Second Chair behind me, and they both urged me walk out with them.

Which I did—what else was I going to do?

But Bridget was still sitting in that seat, eyes looking haunted, while the Prosecutor and his team had a muttered argument at their table.

She looked at me when I stood up, but she didn’t move. I held her gaze for as long as I could, until I was forced to break the contact to walk out the door.

Hold on, babe. Just hold on.

Five hours later I was sitting in Stephen’s conference room again and I was struggling to sit still. I’d been home and called Bridget, but gotten no answer. Two hours later, Stephen called me and I was driving back into the city to look at a new plea deal he said would arrive within the hour. But still hadn’t showed up when I made it to the office, so I was in the conference room, waiting, while they worked.

ME: WTF, Bridget? You’re scaring me. Where are you?

BABE: With the lawyers. I can’t answer the phone, they’ll see it.

ME: Okay. Just don’t stop answering me.

BABE: I won’t.

But she wasn’t telling me what was going on either, and that made me nervous.

I sat in a swivel chair, one foot on the other knee, swinging back and forth because I couldn’t sit still.

Please, Lord. Please…

Then suddenly, Stephen was there with a sheaf of papers in his hand and a smile on his face.

He stared at me and I stared at him.

When he didn’t talk, I almost threatened him. “Is that it? A plea deal?” I asked, my heart pounding so hard my ears thrummed.

He nodded.

“And?!” I said, leaning in, almost cursing.

“And…” he smiled. “If you sign it, you’ll do parole for two more years, and a thousand hours of community service… and that’s it.”

I blinked. “You’re serious?”

“Two counts of reckless endangerment and one of menacing. They aren’t even felonies.”

My stomach dropped at the same time my heart rose—like I’d been dropped off the side of the building. “Wait… what?!”

Stephen beamed and threw the papers on the table in front of me. “Read it for yourself. But as your legal counsel I am suggesting you sign the fuck out of that before they take it back.”

I was so overwhelmed, I shook. I couldn’t take in Stephen’s words as he chatted me through the process, showing me where to sign and joking with his clerk. My hands trembled so badly I was worried they wouldn’t accept my signature .

Then, when it was done, he asked me if I wanted a drink.

“I… Are you serious? This is it?”

“Well, we’ll have to take it in front of the judge on Friday, but yeah. She could smell that something was fishy. I’m guessing they’re talking to her behind the scenes, and she’ll sign it. I don’t know what the fuck else he did, but they obviously don’t want him in the witness seat.”

My head spun. I almost fell over when I got out of the chair. I turned down a glass of champagne because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to drive.

The second I stopped receiving handshakes, I raced to the men’s room to text Bridget.

~ brIDGET ~

I was sitting in a very somber room in the Federal building when the text came in. I hadn’t seen Jeremy all day. They’d brought me here to talk to Gerald, but there hadn’t been anything bad, so he was as confused as I was about why they brought me in. And when it was done, they asked me to wait.

Sam’s text buzzed in my pocket. No one was paying attention, so with shaking hands I pulled it out under the table and opened the text.

SAM NOTPRIEST: This is it, beautiful. This is over. You’re mine. You’re fucking mine. Thank you, God.

I sat back in my chair, covered my face with my hands, and wept.

I never thought I’d say this, but… Thanks, Dad.