BREAKING STEELE (A Sarah Steele Thriller) (5 page)

“You should sign up; see if you and Rick can get in.”

“Already did, and—” she hesitated, then spit it out. “I signed you up too … we’re approved.”

“Mandy!”

“Hey, you need to get out, stop working so much. This really has me worried. Not only are you always busy, but now your job is getting dangerous. It isn’t worth your life. I don’t like it. I want something more for you.” I could tell she meant it. Mostly because she was a really bad liar. “Saturday night we are going there and I won’t take no for an answer. You need to get away.”

“No,” I said bluntly. This case
was
my life, I didn’t need another. Especially not one with dancing and drunk men.

She tilted her head at me, full of concern.

Okay, so I did miss being with her. I did miss having days off where all I got done was read and sleep. I did miss going on dates and meeting new people. There was still a part of me that wanted that.

“Okay,” I said. She broke into a grin. “But not until this case is over.” She groaned. “I have dozens of things—big things—to get done and I can’t spare any time off.”

“Even on Saturday night?” She asked with eyebrows raised, as if she was seriously doubting the direction I was taking my life.

“Even on Saturday night,” I confirmed.

“Then let’s get this freak behind bars for the rest of his life so that you can have yours back.”

I smiled, and nodded. There was nothing more I’d like.

She slept on the couch. I kept the hallway light on because I kept seeing shadows outside my door that weren’t there.

My gun was only a few feet away from me. But did I have what it took to point it at a man’s face and shoot?

Yes … no …
maybe
. I didn’t know. When I thought about what was in my heart, the dark side of my heart, I knew I had something deep inside that would pull that trigger without even thinking. But then what? I couldn’t live that life. I was an attorney, for goodness sake; I was supposed to be against violence of any kind.

I’d never been afraid of being alone, or the dark. Not ever. And here I was, needing my best friend to tuck me in and a bright night-light. Pathetic.

They’d done this to me. I was going from scared to angry.

Chapter 10

MY ALARM WENT OFF at 5 a.m. My blankets were warm and it felt like I had melted into the mattress. I could hear Mandy’s deep breathing from the living room.

I soaked it in. It was like I’d woken with a new strength. Part of the fear I’d felt yesterday was hidden deep inside. The other half I turned into a righteous anger. Today, I was going to nail Williams.

After a shower, breakfast, getting ready, and a promise to Mandy that I’d call her when I left the courthouse, I was on my way to the office.

I’d driven there so many times I was on autopilot. The streets weren’t very busy. I mentally went through my notes, taking out this, putting in that, and rearranged them the way I wanted.

The reporter was waiting on the steps of the large concrete-and-steel building. The thing I loved most about the office was its landscaped yard. There was a pond with a fountain, trees and ferns that lined the back, and there were even benches and picnic tables. I told the reporter we should go out by the pond, which was my favorite spot.

After I told him the story and he asked the usual mundane reporter questions like “What did it feel like to be kidnapped?” and “Is there any doubt in your mind it was Williams?” I took over.

“This threat has made me more confident than ever that Williams is guilty, and he’s capable of anything. Tell that to the public.”

The reporter wanted more, but I had to go. There was a to-do list as long as my forearm that I had to finish before court started at ten o’clock.

I texted Joshua as I walked to my office. He was already on his way. Good man. That’d earn him some extra credit points.

Once I sat on my chair I noticed a bundle of notes. Joshua had gotten an appointment with Hannah Williams for tomorrow at three o’clock. It would’ve been better if it had been today, but I knew it was the best we could get. He also wrote that he’d searched in every database he knew for the employee who’d charged Hank Williams so long ago, but hadn’t found anything.

For the next hour I went through my notes and retyped what I had, taking out the DNA evidence and the witnesses’ testimony, I filed them away and put them out of my mind. I’d moved on. There was no time to dwell on the past. It was still a strong case, as the police’s testimony was coming up today, as well as a presentation of Williams’ past offenses, like the drug possession and a few DUIs.

By the time I’d wrapped my mind around the new and evolved case, I was once again confident I had what it took to prove him guilty.

That was, until I got the phone call.

It was Dan, saying the same thing he did yesterday. “Judge called an emergency meeting. Meet me at the courthouse. Now.” He didn’t have to say how bad this was. I got a sick feeling in my gut. Pressing my hand to my case notes, I just sat for a moment, as if saying goodbye to the work I’d just done.

And then I ran to my car, Joshua in toe, after gulping down a cup of coffee he brought me. He got extra points for that, too.

Chapter 11

THE COURTHOUSE WAS SWARMING with TV vans and media all trying to get a good shot. I felt like a movie star, but without all the money. I brushed past them and got inside where cameras weren’t allowed. The judge made a smart move there.

The judge’s room was already full when I followed Dan in. I sat stiffly and crossed my legs. No doubt everyone had already heard of my kidnapping. News like that travelled fast. Especially when you had a boss like Dan, who wanted to milk it for all it was worth.

I could see it in their eyes, too. The other attorneys looked at me with pity and a small amount of disdain, as if I were a baby that needed tended to. I made my face as peaceful as I could, and did not spare an extra glance their way.

We all stood when the judge came in, but he waved us back into our seats. His eyes were red and baggy, as if he hadn’t slept well.

“More bad news,” he said as he flopped into his chair. He looked at a paper as if he were reading off of it. “We found another jury member who has been bribed. The woman will be charged, but I won’t order another replacement.”

It was hard to keep my face peaceful. All of this work, all of this hardship, and all that I went through last night was about to be flushed down the toilet. I knew what was coming. And it made me want to run from the room.

“I have no choice but to declare a mistrial,” the judge said.

Dan groaned. I clenched my jaw. It was still hard to hear, even though I was expecting it.

He went on to say how we could appeal and begin again, but I didn’t want to listen. It felt like ants were crawling under my skin. I just wanted to bolt out of there.

Sawyer spoke up. “We’d like to request that the defendant be released on bond. After all, there’s hardly any proof he’s guilty.”

I opened my mouth to argue, then shut it again. If I got started I wouldn’t be able to stop.

Let them wait. Within a few weeks I’d have enough evidence to bury them in it. Then I would argue and they wouldn’t have a word to say against me.

So I was silent, even when the judge set a 900k bond for Williams, which I knew would be easy for Williams to post. Even when he said Williams would need an ankle tracker and couldn’t leave the state. Even when Dan protested and said that Williams was a dangerous criminal who was the last person that should get off on bond.

I kept quiet; there was nothing to say. Things had been set in motion that would take more than words to stop. Williams was free. Blind Lady Justice had been tricked.

But I wasn’t about to let him trick her for long.

Chapter 12

DAN AND I DIDN’T say a word. Joshua shyly asked what had happened, and I gave him the stark answer: “Mistrial.”

He groaned and collapsed into a chair.

“Get up, buck-o,” I said. “If you think we were buried in work before the trial, you haven’t seen anything yet. Better bring your pillow to the office.”

My pep talk wasn’t exactly gracious, but it got the job done. Joshua jumped out of the chair and followed me down the hall, taking notes as I gave him a list of paperwork he needed to pick up for me. Dan left without saying goodbye, off to lick his wounds. This was going to hurt his run for office.

After a few hours at the courthouse filling out forms and other paperwork, we were finally free to leave.

“Are you hungry?” Joshua asked as we walked outside and down the steps.

At the question, I suddenly realized how famished I was. It was already past lunchtime. “How about—”

“The Casaba?” he finished for me. It was our favorite gyro joint. “What do you want to drink?”

“Orange juice. And order me a second helping of fries,” I said, grinning up at him.

He patted his round belly. “I think that’s just what I need, too.”

“And fill up on gas on your way back to the office,” I said. “We’re taking your car to the scene of the crime.”

“I’ve never been there,” he said. His eyes crinkled in worry.

“It’s important to see it,” I said. “It’ll help us start fresh, see if we missed something important.” We were pretty desperate. “I’ll need your eyes,” I said.

He looked down, embarrassed but pleased.

There was still something bothering me from the kidnapping that I had to check out. “Oh, and call the prison and see what Hank Williams was doing last night, if he had any visitors or doctor’s visits.”

Joshua gave me strange look, but nodded.

I heard my name called in a high-pitched voice from across the road. Angela, Jessie, and Cassandra waved at me with huge smiles plastered on their faces.

A bus drove by, blocking them from view. My head was still in the case, but I quickly put a mask up for the girls. Once the bus passed, blowing my hair out of my face with its speed, they galloped over, waving metals.

“I did it, I did it,” Angela exclaimed. She clutched my arm and shoved her 1
place metal in my face. “I won the tournament!” She giggled, eyes shining. “I couldn’t wait to see you so we came here.”

I brought her in for a hug, so happy for her. “I’m so proud of you,” I whispered in her ear. “You worked so hard for this. And now you’re the best of the best.”

Jessie winked at me. “Well, she hasn’t fought you yet so we can’t say that.”

I high-fived Cassandra and ooo’d and ahh’d over her 3
place metal. And then I listened as Jessie told me that she landed on her ankle wrong and had to quit the tournament early. “If I hadn’t,” she said, “I’d have beat Angela for sure.”

Angela rolled her eyes and I laughed. Joshua took a step back. “You wish,” Angela said.

“Oh, hey,” I said. “You have to meet Joshua Tasi. He’s an intern at the DA office, and is my right-hand man on this case.”

Jessie and Cassandra looked down shyly, intimidated by his powerful form. But Angela stuck her hand out for a hearty handshake.

Suddenly, a shadow fell across my face. I turned and saw Hank Williams. His attorneys stood a few feet away next to a dark limo that idled by the curb. No reporters in sight, I guess they were on to the next story.

Joshua took a step toward the girls, as if wanting to shield them.

I put my hands in my pockets and stared at Hank Williams with animosity. I knew the evil he had done, and I wasn’t going to pretend he was anything other than a dangerous man.

“Are those your little sisters?” he asked.

The voice gave me the chills.

I didn’t answer. His back was to the sun and I squinted up at him, not wanting to look away. It was a nosy question and there was no way I was giving him any information about them. He glanced up and down at Angela and heat crept up my neck.

It was the first time I had been close to him. His hair was dirty blonde, with gray streaks. He had a trimmed goatee and bushy eyebrows, with a fat chin and ears that were too big. His dark eyes were beady and watery, as if the sunlight hurt them. There was nothing more I’d like to do than dropkick him in the nose.

“You tried your best, dear,” he said. “There was nothing more you could do.” He rubbed his jaw, then smoothed down his mustache.

The girls behind me were silent. They knew a creep when they saw one.

I didn’t move, didn’t let any recognition in my eyes. I just waited for him to move on. Sometimes the best comeback was letting him know he wasn’t even worth a reply.

Williams leaned forward and I smelled Old Spice on his jacket.
Yuck
. “I’ll be seeing you later,” he whispered. “It’ll be great to get to know you better.”

That was when I broke his gaze. If I held it any longer I would lose my self-control. I swallowed the rising wall of anger breaking against my chest like a wave.

When he saw he wasn’t going to get a rise from me, he glanced up and down at Angela again, and then sauntered away. His limo disappeared around the corner and I unclenched my fists.

I let out all my breath.

Now that he was out, nowhere was safe. I had to get him back behind bars as soon as I could.

Chapter 13

THE CARAMEL COLOR OF the scotch made him feel better at once. Dipping his finger in a shot of water he knocked off a few drops into his glass. The bouquet filled his lungs and he let the liquor spread over his tongue.

This was the life. Back home and free to hunt again. There was only one small hiccup, a minor inconvenience that in some ways was almost as fun as hunting.

Office lights off and sitting in the dark, he checked his cell. One missed call and one message. He hit the voicemail key and listened to the message.

“We’ve got a problem, the fox is at the henhouse. Let me know what you want to do about it.”

The message was short and to the point. Fingers clenched around the glass of scotch, he threw it across the room and cursed. The heavy glass hit the far wall and broke through the plaster and embedded itself in the wall.

Hitting redial, he waited. Three rings, then an answer. “Hey, what you want I should do?” The accent was all but gone, but he still got words mixed up.