Page 24 of Rise of the Witch (Witches of Keating Hollow #17)

Melissa clutched Sadie’s hand as they walked into the courthouse in Eureka. King was just ahead of them, talking to Lorna White. The lawyer seemed to think that Briggs would be released shortly after the hearing, but Melissa was too nervous to get her hopes up.

She hadn’t slept a wink the night before. All she could think about was Briggs sitting in a jail cell by himself with the worst-case scenarios running through his mind.

“It’s going to be okay,” Sadie said.

“You don’t know that,” Melissa whispered back. “What if the judge is a major jackass and sets a bail that King can’t cover?” Goddess knew that Melissa didn’t have a pile of money just sitting around. She had her house, but that was it.

“Look.” Sadie pointed to a small group of people who were standing off to the side. “Isn’t that Yvette Townsend-Burton?”

“And that’s Bronwyn from Mystyk Pizza,” Melissa added. “Why are they here?” Her pulse kicked up a notch as her heart started to flutter with nerves. “You don’t think they’re here to testify against Briggs, do you?”

“Testify about what? That he helped Bronwyn put her restaurant back together and that he immediately called Yvette when the window was broken at her store?” Sadie asked, looking annoyed. “If they do that, then?—”

“That’s not why they’re here,” Lorna White said.

“King, good, you’re already here,” a man said from behind them.

Melissa spun and spotted Austin Steele, Briggs’s boss.

King shook the man’s hand and asked, “Do you have your statement?”

“What statement?” Melissa asked. “What’s going on?” She hated feeling like she was in the dark.

“Lorna asked if there were any people in town who would write character statements for Briggs,” King said. “I thought they’d just send the letters, but it looks like they cared enough to show up in person.”

The judge entered the courtroom, and everyone scrambled to take their seats.

Melissa wanted to personally thank Austin, Yvette, and Bronwyn, but court was starting and all she could do was wait to see what happened next.

The judge called everyone to order and then listened to the charges against Briggs. Aggravated assault and false imprisonment. The evidence was presented, and then it was time for Briggs’s lawyer to talk.

“Your Honor,” Lorna White said. “The state has taken quite a bit of liberty with the letter of the law. There is zero evidence that my client has attacked or imprisoned Ms. Kinny. In fact, no one even knows where she is. It is possible that she just left town, even though that is unlikely. And the video proof they have of her attack shows only the back of someone’s shoulder.

There are no identifying marks that point to my client.

Everything you’ve heard today is completely circumstantial.

I dare say that if this case goes to trial, there is a strong chance it will be thrown out altogether. ”

“What about the motive, Ms. White?” the judge asked.

“So far, we’ve only heard that Ms. Kinny and Mr. Williams had some disagreements that resulted in magical flares from Mr. Williams. By all accounts, Mr. Williams has done everything in his power to rectify those actions, including seeking therapy.

The business owners of Keating Hollow and Mr. Williams’s employer are here to share that they have no ill will toward him.

In fact, they strongly believe that he is an asset to their community. ”

The judge looked over at Austin, Yvette, and Bronwyn. “I have the letters from the business owners. Do they have more to add, or will I just get more of the same?”

“I can’t speak for them,” Lorna said. “But they took it upon themselves to show up here today to support him.”

“I see. Okay, I’ve heard enough,” the judge said.

“Wait!” Yvette called as Bronwyn stood. Chatter broke out around the courtroom until the judge banged her gavel.

“Quiet down now. I’ve already made my decision.

” She turned to the state’s representative.

“Mr. Vickers, it is my opinion that your evidence is flimsy at best. As Ms. White pointed out, everything you’ve presented is circumstantial.

Mr. Williams cannot be identified as the attacker on the video, and there is zero proof of false imprisonment.

I suggest you rethink these charges. In light of this, I’m releasing Mr. Williams with no bond.

He’ll be required to return to court if his case even makes it back onto the docket. You are dismissed.”

Briggs stood and stared at his lawyer for a long moment. Then after a few words from her, he smiled.

Melissa darted out of her seat and ran over to him, flinging herself into his arms. “Oh my gods, Briggs. I was so worried about you.”

His arms came around her as he buried his face into her shoulder. “You came.”

“Of course I did,” she said as she pulled back to look him in the eye. “Did you really think I wouldn’t?”

“I don’t know,” he said with a tired laugh. “You could have thought I was guilty.”

She scoffed. “I have faith in you even if you don’t have any in me.”

He gave her a horrified look. “That’s not what I meant. I just?—”

“Forget it,” she said and hugged him again.

King and Sadie were there, both of them clapping him on the back in support.

Briggs hugged King, and with his voice thick with emotion, he said, “Thanks, man.”

“No need to thank me,” King said. “Let’s just get out of here so you can get home and shower. I know it’s only been about twenty-four hours, but you look like you slept in the gutter.”

He didn’t look that bad, Melissa mused, but he did look tired.

“Give me just a minute,” he said and then went over to talk to Yvette and Bronwyn.

Melissa slumped against Sadie. “That went about as well as we could have expected, right?”

Lorna White cleared her throat and answered before Sadie could say anything.

“It did. The only thing better would be if the charges were dismissed altogether. But the case is so new that I’m not surprised the judge let them stand.

They’ll need a hell of a lot better evidence to get much further though.

The best thing to do now is pray that Kassie is found…

safe.” She nodded at King. “Tell Briggs I’ll be in touch. ”

Once Briggs was finished talking to the business owners from Keating Hollow, he returned to Melissa’s side and said, “Take me home.”

Melissa placed four bowls on Briggs’s dining room table and called, “Lunch is ready.” While Briggs had been in the shower, she’d searched his kitchen for something she could make them all to eat.

She’d finally settled on macaroni and cheese.

As far as she was concerned, they could all use a little comfort food.

“I’ll get the drinks,” Sadie said.

Melissa stared at the table and then blinked. Her mind had been elsewhere, and she’d completely forgotten about that. She smiled at her friend. “Thanks.”

King walked in and took a seat. A few seconds later, Briggs appeared. His hair was still wet from his shower, but he looked a thousand times better than he had at the courthouse. As he walked past Melissa, he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Sit down and eat,” Sadie ordered as she placed sodas on the table. “All of you must be starving.”

To be honest, Melissa wasn’t all that hungry. She’d been so upset about Briggs being arrested, she hadn’t had an appetite. And so far, it hadn’t returned.

She was thrilled that Briggs was back home, but she couldn’t stop thinking about Kassie. “What do you think happened yesterday morning?” she asked. “With Kassie, I mean.”

The other three looked up from their bowls and stared at her. No one had an answer.

“Do you think it was some random stranger or someone she knew?” Melissa pressed.

“I’d guess someone she knew,” King offered. “She rode your bike to the studio at like seven in the morning while leaving her breakfast untouched in your kitchen. Seems she got called away, right?”

“It definitely looked like that,” Sadie confirmed. “Her tea was still steeping, and there was toast in the toaster.”

“Who would want to meet her at the studio?” Briggs asked. “If it wasn’t me or King, the only other person it could be is Austin.”

“Austin wouldn’t call her in on a Sunday, would he?” Melissa asked. “Isn’t he pretty strict about spending the weekends with his wife, Brinn?” That was what Briggs had told her when she asked if he ever had to work on Saturdays or Sundays.

“No,” Briggs said. “He never comes in unless it’s on the schedule.

He told me once that part of the reason he moved to Keating Hollow was so that he didn’t feel pressured to work all the time.

The only reason I can see him going in was if he really wanted to listen to the song we recorded on Saturday.

But that’s a giant leap. I definitely don’t think he called her in.

He’d have told the sheriff right away if that were the case. ”

“I agree with Briggs,” King said. “Even if Austin had gone in, he’d have already said as much. I think that’s just a dead end and we need to be looking at other possibilities.”

Briggs just nodded.

“Who else might call her away?” Sadie asked. “Did she know anyone else here?”

“Not that I know of,” Melissa said. “The only person I heard her talking to on the phone was her mom. And someone else that Kassie said was just a friend. Then she corrected herself and said he was more like a fan. I overheard her telling him not to come to Keating Hollow. Maybe he did and she’s a victim of a crazed stalker. ”

Sadie sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s scary. Did she say who the fan was?”

Melissa shook her head. “No. We didn’t talk that much. All I know is that she said her mother was a pretty awful stage mom, and she was certain that if she had the means, she’d be here to oversee the recording of the album.”

King and Sadie shared a knowing look. Then King said, “Are you sure her mom didn’t find a way here?”

“No, I’m not. Why?” Melissa asked.