Figure Eight (Celtic Knot Book 2) (34 page)

The knocks got louder and louder and Ashley pulled away from me. She looked from the door back to me again.

“Just tell me what is going on, Ashley. Please.”
      
“I can’t. I’m sorry.”
      

Watching her walk away from me and not knowing what was going to happen in that courtroom today, was killing me. What the hell did she mean Kelly was in danger? Why wasn’t she going to the police for help if that was the case? All these questions were going through my head as Ashley unlocked the restroom door and walked out leaving me in the unknown.

I was sweating. Droplets of salty precipitation rolled down my back as I sat in the back of the courtroom waiting for the trial to start. I felt dizzy and nauseous and all I wanted to do was run home, crawl under the covers, and never come out again.

Everyone was here, everyone except Kelly. Knox and Dominic were seated up front with their lawyer Toby. Victoria was seated next to Drake on the defense side of the courtroom, while Officer Russell sat on the prosecution side close to Asher. Rownan was next to me and all I could do was stare ahead. Victoria had tried giving me some warning glances and she and Drake were both seated to where they could get to me easily if they could.

“All rise for the Honorable Judge Hudson,” the bailiff cried out and I flinched knowing that the trial was beginning. Panic tried to creep its way into my system, but I took deep, even breaths trying to hold it at bay.

The judge took his seat and motioned for the prosecution to begin their case. They started off by presenting the file of evidence that I was forced to plant at The Knot to the judge. Everyone was silent for what seemed like forever as the judged poured over the papers in the file. When he was finished, he nonchalantly placed all of the papers back inside.

“Counselor, how do you wish to proceed?”

“Your Honor, the prosecution would like to call its first witness, Ashley Woodson.” Hushed whispers and awes filtered in a murmur around the courtroom as everyone traded turns glancing back at me. I drew in a breath that felt like it didn’t quite fill me up, almost like I was lacking an intake of oxygen due to dread and worry being trapped inside of me. Hoping that my legs would support my weight, I stood up as my legs shook as I stepped past Rownan to walk down the aisle to the front of the courtroom. My sandals slapped against the plain white tile of the floor as all eyes were trained on me. There wasn’t a sound to be heard except for my steps echoing off of the walls. It was eerily silent, like the calm before a storm.

I risked a glance at both Knox and Dominic before I went through the little gate that would lead me to the chair that was positioned on the other side of the judge’s bench. The looks on both of their faces was worry and concern. I knew that Dominic had to have told Knox about our conversation in the bathroom and he was probably extremely concerned about Kelly.

I sat in the hard wooden chair behind the bench with a microphone facing me. I smoothed out my skirt, trying to give me something to do to help calm my shaky nerves.

The prosecutor, and an older, balding man, dressed in a dark blue suit that was no doubt custom fitted, approached me where I sat. I had spoken to him briefly before when he had discussed the types of questions that he would ask me while on the stand. Of course, that was before I had to admit to everyone, media included, that I had lied and that the entire trial was for nothing. I just hoped that the plan that I decided to do last minute, was going to benefit Dominic, Knox, and myself.

“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” the bailiff asked as he held the bible out in front of me. I placed my hand upon it and said, “Yes.” And for once in a long time, it felt great to get to actually tell the truth.

“Ms. Woodson,” the prosecutor said in introduction, “You know the defendants, Mr. Michaels and Mr. Tanner, correct?”

“Yes,” I said leaning into the microphone. My eyes scanned the crowd, watching a hundred different pairs of eyes settle on me. I looked back to where Rownan and I sat before I came to the front of the room. I was a little concerned when I no longer saw him sitting at the back of the room. Maybe he went to the restroom.

“It is to our understanding that you were also an employee of The Celtic Knot, yes?” the prosecutor asked me shaking me out of my distraction of looking for Rownan.

“Yes, sir. I was a waitress there,” I replied risking a glance over at Dominic who had his strong fingers steepled under his chin staring at me with those gorgeous chocolate brown eyes that captivated me the first night I walked into The Celtic Knot. Where in the last few months I had seen nothing but anger and desolation in his eyes, I know I saw some of the love that he used to have for me. It gave me a small sliver of hope that maybe after all this was said and done, we could possibly be together.

“Did you at one time have a consensual, sexual relationship with one of the defendants, Mr. Dominic Michaels?”

“Yes, I did.”

And I was so damn happy at that time too.

The prosecutor paced the floor in front of the judge’s bench with his chin grasped firmly in his hand. I knew it was coming. The question I was dreading more than anything. The question that was going to set the man I loved free, as well as save the life of my best friend, but would quite possibly land me and my unborn child in jail for God knows how long.

He paused right in front of me and placed his hands on the wooden platform separating us.

“Ashley, did you accept money from either Mr. Michaels or Mr. Tanner in exchange for sexual favors performed at The Celtic Knot?”

There it was. The question. It felt like my heart stopped in my chest, and only began beating again when I thought about the child I was carrying. I looked down instinctively and placed my hands over my belly. Something that had become a habit after I found out I was pregnant. I then looked over at Dominic, who stared at where my hands were place with a hint of a smile pulling at his lips.

He is happy. He is happy that I am carrying his child, his baby. A life that we both created out of love.

“Ms. Woodson?” the prosecutor prodded. I inhaled before blowing out the air forcefully from my lungs.

“No.”

Gasps and chatter began to fill the courtroom. Reporters in the back furiously wrote on their tablets or notepads, and the photographer’s fingers were twitching to capture the moment but were restricted from doing so inside the courtroom.

“Come again?” the prosecutor asked. I didn’t know if he was playing dumb, or if he was trying to get me to repeat what I said on purpose.

“I said, no, I did
not
accept money in exchange for sexual favors from either Mr. Michaels or Mr. Tanner.”

The room burst alive with chatter once more, loud enough to cause a roar to sound.

“Quiet in the court!” Judge Hudson yelled as he banged the gavel down onto the bench. All talk ceased and then all eyes were on my next move and me.

“Are you telling the court that you lied about the incident?” the prosecutor asked accusingly with shock clearly registering on his face. I threw the man for a loop with my admission and he looked as if he could have a coronary from it.

“Yes,” I answered honestly.

“What about the evidence that was found at the club that says otherwise?”

“I broke into The Celtic Knot and planted the file into Mr. Michaels’ filing cabinet.”

“How did you do that?”

And here begins the hard part.

“I was let into the club by an employee, where I went into the office and took the key from the drawer and placed the file in the green cabinet.”

“Which employee let you in Ms. Woodson?” the judge chimed in. It was the first time he had spoken to me since I had come onto the stand. He eyed me warily, making me nervous about what he was thinking concerning me.

“Drake Loreno, Your Honor. He is employed by Victoria Spencer.”

“What?” Dominic shouted as he rose to his feet and turned to look at Victoria for clarification.

“Mr. Michaels sit down…” the judge began, but he was interrupted when the doors of the courthouse flew open and Rownan walked in with Kelly. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of seeing my best friend safe with another person who I had considered to be my best friend. I smiled as the tears formed in my eyes. I was buzzing in my seat, dying to wrap my arms around her to determine that she really was safe.

“What is going on in my courtroom? Sir, you and the lady, there, better have a good explanation for interrupting my court or I will hold you in contempt.” Judge Hudson warned. Rownan reached into his back pocket and produced a wallet, flipped it open, flashing a badge.

“Agent Rownan Kleinfield with the FBI, Your Honor.” He said in an American voice. The British accent was gone and my hands flew to my mouth in disbelief.

He’s an FBI agent?

“Agent, what is going on?”

“Victoria Spencer and Drake Loreno kidnapped this woman, Your Honor, to force Ms. Woodson to testify. The pair have threatened and used her in a sick and twisted game of a woman obsessed with a man that doesn’t love her. I was brought in by internal affairs to investigate an officer of the law who we believed was corrupt in his investigating proceedings. Extensive research has led us to the information that Officer Russell and Victoria Spencer are siblings.”

Knox got up from his seat, ran over, and scooped Kelly in his arms, nearly squeezing the life out of her. I noticed the bandage on her neck and flashed back to the picture that I was sent on my phone where blood was formed there.

“Your Honor, other agents are over at Miss Spencer’s residence now collecting the evidence. We have been investigating her and her brother for some time now.”

“In light of the new evidence, I have to rule that Mr. Michaels and Mr. Tanner be released of all charges. The Celtic Knot will be allowed to reopen without any repercussions. Ms. Woodson is to be taken into custody for falsifying evidence, lying to officers of the law, and the court. Miss Spencer, Mr. Loreno, and Mr. Russell are to be taken into custody pending an investigation.” The judge said as he banged the gavel against the bench.

“You bitch! You fucking whore!” Victoria said as she ran across the aisle toward her brother. I stood up to see what was going on while the judge was banging his gavel in an attempt to gain order over the court proceedings. Uniformed officers flooded the courtroom in a race to reach Victoria who had accepted something from Russell.