Touched, he raised their joined hands and brushed his lips over her knuckles.
“Josh, I love you.”
He pushed back his chair and rose, pulling her to him. Once he was sure his voice wouldn’t betray him, he responded. “I love you beyond reason. I’m here for you no matter what the cards hold.”
“I know that, and it gives me strength that I badly need. That I can get through this.”
* * *
JOSH WAITED DOWNSTAIRS while Emma chose with care what she’d wear for the first day of the trial. He knew she wanted to present herself as professional, but not hard. The lawyers and jury consultant had said that it was important that she connect with the jury, and come across as credible and confident. As a genuine person wanting to do the right thing, rather than someone who wanted the limelight or to bring a powerful man down.
They knew that Senator Morgan was a master orator, and his success in politics had largely been due to his uncanny ability to connect with the average person. She would just have to be better.
She opted for a soft gray suit. The color and tailored cut of the jacket were businesslike and professional. The skirt, flowing to just below her knees, gave it a feminine look.
When they heard Sherri’s car in the driveway, Josh helped Emma on with her coat and shrugged into his own.
“Wow, it’s weird seeing that cop car at the foot of your driveway,” Sherri remarked as she hung up her raincoat.
Chad had insisted on a visible police presence. He’d said that he wasn’t prepared to take any chances after the incident with Jenna.
“Get used to it,” Josh advised Sherri. “They plan to keep at it until the trial is over.”
“Huh! My own protective detail! Maybe I’ll take him a cup of coffee later,” Sherri said with a grin.
The rain had stopped by the time they left, but the sky was a dull gray and a thin fog crept along the ground. They drove to New York City with little conversation. Josh held Emma’s hand most of the way.
Approaching the courthouse, they could see that the media was present in full force. Josh glanced at Emma encouragingly. “It’s almost over.”
She gave a short laugh. “No doubt, but it’s between now and then that concerns me.”
They had prearranged parking, and Josh found it without difficulty. As a result of the media attention and the incidents leading up to the trial, they were met by a uniformed police officer. Emma was escorted to a room used for sequestering witnesses, while Josh was led to the courtroom. He took a seat in the row behind the prosecution desk. Jenna was already there, and Josh surmised Daniel would have been sequestered as well. Even though they’d arrived early, the courtroom was already crowded. The senator was big news.
Josh watched as Senator Morgan sauntered into the room.
There was no other way to describe his entry. He was dressed sharply, his silver-gray hair perfectly groomed, and an easy, relaxed smile on his face. He moved to the defense table with the comfort of someone about to take a chair at a dinner party rather than a trial that could see him go to jail for a substantial portion of what remained of his life.
The senator shook hands and greeted a few people seated behind the defense table. He looked like he was campaigning, the way he was working his side of the room, before finally taking a seat next to his lawyers. When the lawyer immediately to his left leaned in to whisper in his ear, Morgan actually laughed. Josh glanced at Jenna and knew she’d witnessed the display as well. He wondered if the senator was a consummate actor or if his arrogance was so monumental that he didn’t feel threatened by the proceedings about to commence.
He worried about Emma and thought that for her the day would drag on. They’d been told by the lawyers that the proceedings would involve opening statements to establish context, and the examination and cross-examination of initial witnesses. It was during the afternoon recess that Josh was told that Emma wouldn’t have to take the stand that day. Josh didn’t know if she’d feel relieved that she could breathe easier for the day or be disappointed that she wouldn’t yet be done with her part. He leaned toward the latter.
After the break, Daniel took the stand. Josh thought he was a highly credible witness. He handled some challenging questions exceedingly well, especially during cross-examination. It was only when Daniel looked in Jenna’s direction that his composure slipped.
Watching the jurors, Josh tried to assess their body language and facial expressions. He believed Daniel’s testimony had gone a considerable way to sway their opinion.
He just wanted it to be over for now so that he could talk to Emma. They’d planned to remain in the city during the trial. They had rooms at the Paramount Hotel for four nights in case they needed to stay that long. They were planning to go home for the weekend even if the trial continued the following week.
After a brief overview from the lead prosecutor as to where Emma was on the witness list, they returned to the hotel. Daniel and Jenna joined them for dinner, but they purposely avoided the topic of the trial.
After dinner, Josh escorted Emma to her suite and said good-night.
* * *
EMMA WAS SHOWERED and dressed by the time the alarm clock sounded the next morning. This time, she wore a deep royal blue suit with a powder-blue blouse. Black pumps and a matching belt completed the outfit.
She was standing by the living room window, looking over the city and drinking a cup of coffee, when Josh knocked on her door. His wolf whistle at seeing her made her smile. “I appreciate the sentiment, but not exactly the reaction I’m hoping for from the jury.”
Josh took a moment to scrutinize her more closely. “How are you feeling?”
“Good.” She nodded. “But nervous.”
They shared a light breakfast before Emma went to meet with the lawyers in a room they’d booked in the hotel.
Emma and Josh entered the courtroom a couple of hours later along with the prosecution team, and Emma was momentarily disconcerted. The crowd was much bigger than she’d anticipated, and it was noisy, as the courtroom had not yet been called to order.
Although she knew Richard would be present, she felt the shock when her eyes locked briefly with his. He gave her what she interpreted as a condescending smirk before he looked away. They must have decided against using him as a witness, she concluded, for him to be in the courtroom. She resolved not to let his presence throw her.
When she was called to the stand, she glanced at Josh and their eyes met. She thought she saw pride in his, and it gave her courage.
She believed she did well with her testimony, but cross-examination was another matter and the trepidation built before it started. The defense lawyer’s strategy of beginning gently to lull her into a sense of complacency before hammering her with questions aimed to discredit her testimony backfired on him.
She accepted the change in his rhythm without any discernable unease. Her responses remained well paced, succinct and, she thought, compelling. She was certain that the nerves she felt were not apparent on the surface. She hoped she appeared poised and confident.
She was on the stand when the court recessed for lunch and was called back when it resumed. When her testimony was complete, it was near the end of the day, so the court adjourned. Emma, Josh and Daniel met with the prosecution team briefly. When Emma inquired about Jenna’s absence, Daniel explained she was feeling the strain of her recent injuries and had gone back to their hotel room to rest.
Emma was told she didn’t need to be present for the remainder of the trial. But she had so much invested in it that she and Josh decided to stay anyway. They wanted to be present to hear the verdict.
The next day, the senator was finally called to take the stand. Emma held Josh’s hand tightly during the entire testimony and was astonished at the senator’s performance. The senator was clearly playing to the j
ury, the media and the general audience. He looked like he was enjoying himself.
With the help of his legal counsel, he portrayed himself as a man terribly wronged. As a victim of a vicious attack motivated by greed and envy. He characterized himself as a man who’d dedicated his life to serving his country. In a thinly veiled reference, he implied that Daniel had pursued the matter out of self-interest and for personal gain.
It dismayed Emma, as she watched the jurors, that they were falling under Morgan’s spell. He seemed to be spinning a web of sympathy and righteous indignation that he should be the target of something so unscrupulous. “Surely the jurors would be smart enough, decent enough, fair enough, to see the truth and do the right thing,” he suggested. Morgan’s testimony was followed by closing arguments from both sides.
And then it was over.
The matter was now in the hands of the jurors.
For Emma, it felt almost anticlimactic. Emma, Josh, Daniel and Jenna waited together with the prosecution team in an anteroom in the courthouse. At lunchtime, an assistant got sandwiches and soda for them. They mostly just picked at their food. No one was hungry.
The longer it took for the jury to decide, the worse the odds for the prosecution, the lawyers had cautioned. A hung jury was also a possibility.
Checking her watch yet again, Emma noted that nearly four hours had passed. Was that long? she wondered. Too long for it to mean a conviction? How could anyone not see the truth of the matter?
The pressure of waiting was taking a toll on her. A brisk knock on the door caused her to jolt. After a cursory conversation between one of the legal team and the court bailiff, the lawyer announced that the jury had reached a verdict, and it was time for them to go back to the courtroom.
Emma followed the legal team with a sense of apprehension, feeling almost as if the verdict in question would apply to her, determining her fate. Josh kept a reassuring hand on the small of her back. She was grateful for it, as even the light contact helped ease her trepidation.
Once everyone was seated and the courtroom called to order, the bailiff retrieved the folded piece of paper held by the head juror and presented it to the judge. Emma could hear shuffling behind her, a short cough and a soft whisper of fabric against fabric as someone must have crossed her legs.
All eyes were on the judge as he unfolded the slip of paper and scanned it. He shifted his gaze to hold Morgan’s for a moment that seemed endless to Emma. The judge’s face was inscrutable. Then he refolded the paper matter-of-factly and handed it back to the bailiff to return to the head juror.
The head juror was called upon to deliver the verdict. He was a tall, distinguished-looking man, with a full head of closely trimmed blond hair and dark-rimmed reading glasses. He adjusted those glasses as he glanced down at the piece of paper he held in his hand.
He cleared his throat.
Emma felt almost as if matters were unfolding in slow motion. She watched the head juror as he pronounced each word slowly and deliberately.
“On all counts, we, the jury, find the defendant...guilty.”
The final word hung in the air and seemed to ricochet in Emma’s consciousness as the courtroom was suddenly thrown into furor.
Senator Morgan shot out of his chair. His face was distorted and red with rage. Two members of his legal team also jumped to their feet and attempted to subdue him. He brushed them off. It seemed that everyone else in the courtroom had also risen, unsure of what was happening.
Morgan looked to the judge, then the jurors. “This is outrageous,” he yelled with such vehemence that he was easily heard above all the racket. He continued even as the guards attempted to restrain him. “It’s a travesty! You can’t do this to me. I will appeal the decision and win.”
Though the guards forced Morgan’s arms behind his back and locked the handcuffs into place, the senator fought them every step of the way. His eyes burned with hostility as they bored into Daniel’s, then Emma’s. His voice became more moderate but was still laced with venom as he directed his next comments specifically at them. “This is all your fault. You’ll be sorry you started this. That you dared to go up against me.” He gestured with his chin toward Jenna. “You haven’t seen anything yet. You’ll all be sorrier than you can imagine.”
The sound of the side door slamming behind Morgan after he was dragged through it by the guards reverberated around the room. In contrast to the clamor and activity around Emma, she stood still and felt an unbearable chill descend upon her. Despite Josh’s hand resting at the back of her neck, she felt alone and very cold.
Morgan had said it wasn’t over, and Emma knew it was a fact. He was going to appeal and would likely be out on bail. His comments made it clear to her who’d been responsible for the acts of intimidation—and likely Jenna’s injury. Morgan might well be facing additional charges now, as a result.
Her hope of putting it all behind her once the trial was over had been a foolish delusion. Although the din in the courtroom hadn’t subsided, the sound of soft weeping penetrated Emma’s consciousness. Glancing toward the sound, she saw Daniel sitting next to Jenna, his arm around her, his head bent as he spoke into her ear. With his other hand, he covered both of Jenna’s as they jerked nervously on her lap. Jenna nodded occasionally in acknowledgment of Daniel’s words, but continued to hang her head, eyes closed, tears coursing down her face.
Emma understood Jenna was terrified of becoming a target again, or feared for Daniel.
She’d have to live in fear for herself and those she loved and cared about, for how long, no one could say. The police couldn’t protect them indefinitely and not everywhere they went.
Emma turned to Josh and slipped into his embrace. His eyes looked as hollow as she felt. He placed a kiss on her brow. “Let’s go home. There’s nothing further we can do here. Not now.”
She didn’t trust herself to speak. She nodded in response. Josh released her but kept one arm firmly around her shoulder. As they passed Daniel and Jenna, Emma reached out to place a hand first on Jenna’s shoulder and then, for a longer moment, on Daniel’s. “I’m sorry” was all she said, before she and Josh walked out of the courtroom.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
WEEKS HAD PASSED since the trial, and Emma’s apprehensions had not subsided. The legal wrangling continued and Emma found herself looking over her shoulder and expecting the worst to happen. She no longer had around-the-clock police protection. The small-town police force couldn’t afford it. The best they could do was periodic drive-bys.
One positive was that her application to train service dogs had been approved. She was happy and excited about it, and was ready to start as soon as a puppy suitable for the program could be found. Josh had promised her she’d have first choice from the next litter he’d deliver at the clinic.
She still hadn’t given Arlene an answer and Arlene hadn’t given her new assignments for some time. She tried not to worry about what that meant for her from a cashflow perspective. She’d have to make a decision soon and take steps, one way or the other, to secure a steady source of income.
For respite, she spent most days working outdoors and she’d made considerable progress with her spring cleanup.
When she heard the phone ring one afternoon, she rose from the edge of the flower bed she was working on, yanked off her gardening gloves and rushed to where she’d left the cordless phone nearby. She didn’t bother to check the display as she grabbed it after the third ring.
“Emma, am I getting you at a bad time?”
She recognized Daniel’s voice and held back a sigh. She knew he had to be calling about Morgan. “No. I’m just outside in the garden,” she stated. The unease that seemed to form a knot in her stomach of late intensified at the odd note to Daniel’s voice. She lowered herself to sit on the grass.
“Emma, I’m sure you can guess tha
t I’m calling about the senator.”
The knot in her stomach hardened.
“I received a call from his lawyer.”
Oh, God! Was he being released on bail?
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Morgan’s dead.”
She thought she couldn’t have heard Daniel correctly. She was struggling to understand what he’d said.
“Emma, did you hear me?”
She switched the phone to her other ear. “What? What did you say?”
“I said he’s dead. Morgan’s dead.”
“Dead?” The single word was a whisper.
“Yes. He died yesterday evening.”
She ran her fingers through her hair and rose to pace along the edge of the grass. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“How did it happen?”
“I was told there was another prisoner with him. An inmate who’d been a soldier and was suffering from psychological issues. Apparently he’d heard about what Morgan had done and the consequences. He flew into a fit of rage and strangled Morgan. We can only surmise that it was retribution for the soldiers who’d suffered because of the defective rifles. By the time the guards and medical staff got to Morgan, there was nothing they could do. He was pronounced dead at the infirmary.”
Emma stilled, trying to absorb what Daniel was saying. “This means...?” What? She wasn’t sure what this meant.
“There will be no appeal,” he replied.
She dropped down onto the grassy ground, elbows resting on her knees. She was appalled that she was feeling a sense of relief over a person’s death.
“What about the others? Innes, Hughes and Stewart? What will happen to them?”
“Hughes has accepted a plea bargain. He will testify against Innes and Stewart. Their trials will proceed. With Hughes testifying, it’s likely you won’t be required to.”