Page 163 of State of Grace (First Family 2)

“Is the man who shot your partner in this courtroom today?” Faith asked.

Gonzo finally allowed himself to look at the defendant, who stared back at him with soulless black eyes. “That’s him.”

“Let the record show that the witness has identified the defendant, Sid Androzzi,” Faith said. To Gonzo, she said, “Thank you, Sergeant. Nothing further.”

The defense attorney stood to cross-examine Gonzo. “You said the whole thing happened quickly.”

“Yes,” Gonzo said, his body filled with tension as he anticipated what the defense attorney might ask him.

“How quickly?”

“Thirty seconds, start to finish.”

“And in that half a minute, during which your partner was fatally shot, you got a good enough look at my client to identify him without a shadow of a doubt?”

“Yes, I did. I’d know him anywhere.”

“What happened after your partner was murdered?”

“We, uh, continued to work the case against Androzzi, who was eventually apprehended. We supported Arnold’s parents, sisters and colleagues through the tragic loss of an outstanding young man.”

“What happened to you personally?”

Gonzo knew he shouldn’t be surprised that someone had fed the information to the defense, but he was, nonetheless. They probably had Ramsey to thank for that. “I went through a very difficult struggle with grief and guilt that included a dependency on pain medication that I’ve since overcome with the help of therapy and rehab.”

Clearly, the attorney hadn’t expected him to be so forthright, but Gonzo had learned to own his truth so it wouldn’t have destructive power over him anymore.

“During your dependency on pain medication, did you ever do anything illegal to procure the pills?”

Faith jumped to her feet. “Objection! Sergeant Gonzales is not on trial here.”

“Sustained,” the judge said with a glare for the defense attorney.

Obviously annoyed to have that line of questioning shut down, the defense attorney said, “Nothing further.”

“You’re dismissed, Sergeant Gonzales, with the court’s thanks and sympathy for your loss.”

“Thank you, Your Honor.”

“We’ll take a ten-minute recess.”

Gonzo left the witness stand and went straight to Christina, who wrapped her arms around him and held him as tightly as she could. “You did great, Tommy. You were so strong up there.”

“Not really.”

“No one would ever know that.”

Holding his wife’s hand, Gonzo left the courtroom and waited outside for his squad and Arnold’s family. Everyone hugged him and told him he did great, including Arnold’s parents.

“He’d be so proud of you, Tommy,” Mrs. Arnold said.

Gonzo found that hard to hear, in light of the fact that he still blamed himself for walking Arnold into a slaughter. But he’d learned the hard way that he couldn’t change the facts of that night, as much as he might wish otherwise.

“You were rock solid,” Sam said when everyone else had had their moment with him. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks. That means a lot. I just hope it was enough.” The thought of Androzzi somehow walking free was too much for Gonzo to bear.

“Added to everything else they have on him, it’ll be enough. He’s going away for the rest of his life.”