Stand By Me (13 page)

A hand on her back kept her from breaking completely to climb over Jonathan. Sophie threaded their fingers holding her to her hip.

“Ma'am step back. You can't fraternize with the prisoner,” the bailiff warned almost apologetic in his tone, yet she shielded her stomach as he reached a hand between her and Jonathan. She shared a loving stare with her husband then stepped back, cutting her eyes to the bailiff. Jonathan wasn't a prisoner. This was unfair. The slithering snake that should be locked away sat behind the prosecutor and here Jonathan could get life in prison for protecting his family. She shot a hard stare onto Brian. He winked. Rage washed over her from the disgust his name alone formed in her mind.

“Look at me, Kenya.” His handsome features filled her vision with each inch she turned toward him. “If I go to prison...” Disregarding the bailiff, she fisted Jonathan's lapels, easing him into her body, tears dripped down her face. She was sick of hiding her pain and no one had better separate them this time.

“Mr. Hines take control of your client,” the judge directed from the stand.

Her voice a hot mess, Kenya didn't want to hear him tell her to find another man. She said, “I'll get you out. You're my husband, my lover, and my child's father. You'll never fight a battle without me. Brian's gonna face me now.”

His smile lit the room. “That's my girl. However, the bairn's safety comes first, Kenya. I mean it.” He tilted a serious glare down over her face. She nodded, stroking his face.

Kenya gave in allowed the bailiff to separate them. Accepting the tissue from Katherine, she stepped back to the hard bench then sat and watched Jonathan stand before the Judge.

“I will have order in my courtroom,” the Judge told the room, while he pounded his gavel on the block of wood. “I've gone over the charges and viewed the sketchy hospital security tapes and from the limited images I could not see where you Mr. Jonathan Blakemore were attacked.”

Was he blind? Even she knew Jonathan was under attack in the parking lot with all the noise and gunshots being fired. What tape had the judge seen?

Kenya sat forward tipping her stare down to Jamie. There was no way the Judge could see video of the parking lot that day and say Jonathan wasn’t under attack.

The judge pointed to an easel as the bailiff removed a piece of paper covering the bloody pictures tacked to the board. “On the board you can see photos of the crime scene and the men lying on the ground, where they were when the police arrived.”

The judge nodded to the bailiff who wheeled in a monitor on a cart up to the stand. The judge held up a remote aiming it at the screen and a blurry still shot filled the screen. He eyed the crowd and no one moved. Their stares were anxious focused on the screen. Under the quiet, the room stood hostage as frame after frame appeared and disappeared from the screen. It wasn't as clear as she'd expected thinking it should be clear what happened. Party store video was clearer than that, but bank video was blurred worse than anything. What would make her think the hospital’s would be any better.

Kenya sat forward seeing herself cross the parking lot to her rental car at the hospital and holding the cell to her ear. The prosecutor stood beside the monitor cart with Jonathan’s lawyer. A low hush moved through the crowd as a dark figure on the screen, approached from the shadows, as she stood bent over getting her laptop out of the back seat. Her heartbeat sped up the closer the man came to her car. The moment filled her with a swath of naiveté at her presumption that it was her husband behind her. It never dawned on her it could be someone out to hurt her. That left a feeling of helplessness to plague her mind.

Movement in the courtroom to her left caught her attention. Jonathan hadn't seen the video before this. His hands clasped over the table, fingers flexing mimicking a heartbeat with every step the man took on the screen. The closer the man came to her ducked down in the car, Kenya watched Jonathan's throat flush redder with each step.

Then as if they were watching a different movie, the man slipped in behind her no longer visible to the camera and when he stood, she was wrapping her arms around his waist to walk off into the night. Kenya’s jaw dropped. She uncrossed her legs and scooted to the edge of her chair, straining her neck out getting a closer look. Sophie knees bumped hers. She shot a quick look to her left.

Sophie whispered close to her face. “What’s going on?”

She shook a hand toward the monitor. “That’s not the same video. That man never hugged me. He’d put his hand on my back and I thought it was Jonathan cause I handed him my phone. That’s not the same video,” she cried jumping to her feet. “That’s not what happened. That man didn’t put his arms around me, he leaned over my back your honor.”

Jonathan jerked around his chair legs scraping across the wood floors.

The crowd gasped and buzzed with questions at Kenya’s outburst.

The pounding of the judge’s gavel quieted the voices. “Order, I will have order in my court.” He pointed to Kenya. “Who are you Ms.?”

“Kenya Blakemore, your honor.” Jonathan’s brows shot up. Obviously, she was the only one who knew what happened at the beginning of the tape. “Someone’s altered that tape, that’s not what happened.”

“Bailiff, please escort Mrs. Blakemore to the stand.” Handing Sophie her purse, Kenya crossed out of the isle and followed the bailiff to the front. “Order in my court or I will dismiss this case. Now Mrs. Blakemore those are hefty accusations you’re making. Are you willing to testify as to your claims?”

“I was there, that’s not…”

He cut her off, “Are you willing to testify to your accusations?”

“I am your honor.”

The judge glanced out to the defense and prosecutor. “Does either side object to Mrs. Blakemore taking the stand?”

“I do your honor,” the prosecutor said. “She’s the defendant’s wife. This could be a ploy to free her husband. Perhaps deflect the fact she was having an affair by the way she walked off with the man. I say the video stands as the truth of what happened on the day in question.” His accusation startled the room into low murmurs about her fidelity.

Kenya wanted to hurl the gavel at him. “But he’s lying, your honor. I don’t know where that tape came from; but that’s not the way it happened.”

“Bailiff escort Mrs. Blakemore back to her seat. Defense, prosecutor in my chambers, now” The Judge ordered. Everyone stood. The judge’s black robe flapped through the air behind his thundering steps through the side door leading to his chambers followed by the two attorneys.

At her seat, Kenya looked at Jonathan as he turned to face her over the divider. “Honey that’s not what happened. Did you see the video before today?”

“I wasn’t allowed. Hines asked if we were having marital problems. I dismissed it. He was eliminating angles the prosecutions could’ve taken.”

Her nails dug into the wood panel separating her from Jonathan. “Honey, someone fixed that tape. I’ll swear on whatever they need, but that prick stood over my back. I never hugged him, Jonathan.” She watched his chest tighten under her words. Did he think she was lying? “He forced me into the black sedan with three other men inside. This is why I wanted Hines to put me on the stand. No one knows what happened, but me.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face, shaking his head, his stare sad. “You’re my wife Kenya, no one’s gonna believe you.”

“But I'm the only witness!” she ranted, gesturing to herself. “That doesn't make sense not to have taken my testimony.”

Jonathan's face tightened. “You weren't strong enough then, Kenya.” Jonathan paused shaking his head then leaning in closer, he said in a quiet voice, “Kenya, I would nae chance you reliving that so soon and the doctor was concerned you'd go into labor. The tapes should have been enough. I love your drive and fight, but we'll do this without sacrificing our child to do it.” He warned through clinched teeth.

She angled away from his face afraid to ask the question forming in her mind, but something was happening between them and she didn't like it. “Do you believe me? Do you think I walked off with that man, Jonathan? Do you think I'm cheating on you?” Frantically, she searched his face fearful of seeing disbelief in his eyes.

His eyes blazed behind her question. “Donna let them push a wall between us, Mo Ru'n. You know my faith in you is solid, now have faith in yourself and what you know happened,” he encouraged and it wasn't enough. The skeptical stares from the room fed doubt into her mind.

“Do you think I cheated on you?” she forced unable to keep her voice down as doubt fed her hysterics. A plague of desperation swelled in the air around them. Had he lost faith in her that quickly? She fought her biggest weakness and stiffened as his face came close enough to feel the heat rolling off his skin.

Fire filled his face, the blue of his eyes held fire she hadn't seen before. “If yer gonna lose yer mind, woman, do it when I donna need ye the most.” Kenya blinked at his harsh words, but they were honest and full of his pain as well. Jonathan closed his hand to either side of her face. “If they can come between us they will, donna make it so easy for them.”

People had begun to watch them openly arguing and for some reason that appeared to make them real to the audience. The many faces became compassionate and concerned for the couple.

She wasn't truly convinced as much as her heart knew her mind was pacing with worry. “Why would these people believe me over what they can see on the video? They don't know me from any stranger on the street. I saw the questioning glances when he said I was covering up an affair. I'm an outsider, Jonathan, why would they trust me over hospital security?”

“Because they'll see what I see, the truth in your eyes when you tell what happened. Nobody can dispute the emotion in your voice when you saw that video. I heard it when you spoke out to the judge.” He touched her finger. “I put that ring on yer finger for a reason and it had nothing to do with me bairn growing in yer stomach. Yer no liar Kenya.”

She hated herself for falling apart, when he needed her the most. “I didn't wanna fall apart in front of you, I'm just...” she swallowed thickly. What was happening to her? “I'm...”

“Carrying me child and the world on your shoulders in a foreign country relying on people you've only met a month ago. I believe you, Kenya. Don't let them make you think I don't.”

This was why she loved him. He was her rock, the Jonathan to her Kenya, the heart in her soul. Corded muscles flexed under her hand rubbing the length of his arm. She absorbed the fire in his eyes and pulled herself together. “You're the only man I want, Jonathan Blakemore, now and forever.” No other words passed between them as the quiet courtroom watched their love seal around them. Their stares held a love built on friendship and trust and would see them through this hurricane beating at their lives. The temperature in the room rose from the warmth between the two connecting on a level many couples never reach...trust.

Jonathan pressed his mouth to hers for a quick kiss before the bailiff could stop him and returned to his seat.

“All rise,” the bailiff said as the judge and the two men re-entered the courtroom. Hines nodded at Kenya then whispered something to Jonathan. He tossed her a quick glance. “Please be seated,” he ordered the court.

“Mrs. Kenya Blakemore please stand,” the judge ordered, all eyes landed on Kenya. Staring at Sophie and Katherine, Kenya got to her feet. “Being the defendant’s wife, you do not have to take the stand. Are you up to being questioned today, Mrs. Blakemore. I know you are in a somewhat delicate condition?”

“I can testify your honor,” Kenya agreed excitement coursed through her knowing she would be able to state her case.

“In light of Mrs. Blakemore’s accusations, I will allow her testimony.” The crowd roared. “Order, I will have order in my courtroom. I will allow both prosecutor and defense opportunity to cross-examine the witness, Mrs. Kenya Blakemore. We will speak with Jamie Blakemore first. Mr. Hines I will allow five minutes for you to speak with your client. As none of the other four men involved are able to testify I cannot take testimony from the prosecutor’s side.”

Mr. Hines stood and spoke with Kenya and Jamie over the railing.

Jamie offered a suggestion. “What if one of the security guards at the hospital switched the tape,” Jamie offered. “Is there a camera on the guard shed inside the hospital?”

“No,” Hines said. I checked to see who entered the hospital but the camera faces the sliding doors not the single door to the guard station. Anyone could’ve come through and changed the tape.”

The Judge pounded his gavel pulling the court to order. Jamie moved to the stand.

Hines stood before Jamie. “State your full name for the court.”

Jamie leaned forward his mouth inches from the microphone. “Jamie Gill Blakemore.”

“First, Mr. Blakemore, after reading your statement to the authorities I see you have a license to carry a weapon. Would you care to tell the court exactly why?”

“I do.” The lawyer crossed the room to his desk and picked up a piece of paper then walked to the Judge handing him the paper. The Judge looked it over then handed it back to the lawyer. “Blakemore estates see its share of non-domesticated animals coming down from the mountains along with unauthorized hunters coming in off the Atlantic. We've had problems with tourists in the past fishing the rivers unlicensed.”

Kenya watched the farmers in the room inclining their heads and murmuring to themselves. She'd almost forgotten how far out there they truly were from the city.

“Mr. Blakemore, in your statement on the evening of the alleged attack on Mrs. Kenya Blakemore, you said you noticed something wrong as you left the hospital. Could you explain to the court what you witnessed?

Jamie looked at his cousin and relayed his story. “I left the hospital with Judge, the bulldog you can see on the screen. Jonathan left him just inside the guard shack, dinna wanna leave him in the car alone. The moment we were outside, he ran for Kenya’s car. You can see the back end of her car there sticking out past the bushes. Two men approached from the car and I could hear a woman moaning.” Jonathan cursed under his breath and Kenya's heart squeezed from him having to hear this again. Jamie continued, “Judge attacked the man leaning out of the car. I ran for the man closest to the car and,” pointing to the screen, “I was approximately three cars from Mrs. Blakemore when I slammed him against the car and then I could hear Jonathan coming up behind me calling for Kenya. That's when I could hear a woman screaming.” He pointed to the blur stepping from the hospital on the screen. “That's Carl leaving the hospital. You can't see him clearly, but he was watching Judge just inside the guard shack before you entered the hospital.”