At Parker’s invitation, Andie took the chair near the panel. He then said, “Tell us what happened that night, Miss Windsor.”
Placing her hands on her lap, Andie licked her lips. “It was the anniversary of my parents’ death—my human parents, I mean. They adopted me when I was little, not knowing I was a shifter, but they kept me. I was upset and I went to a bar, had a few drinks. Brandt Moore and the two young males who sit with him today . . . they approached me. Brandt flirted with me, tried to get me to leave with him, but I refused. Then things got . . . foggy. My cat went crazy inside me, but I couldn’t shift. I knew then that I’d been drugged.
“I remember that they shoved me in a car, drove to the marsh, and dumped me on the land. Brandt beat me. Badly. The others mostly just laughed and encouraged him to keep going, but they kicked me in the ribs and the back once or twice. They wouldn’t stop, and I was too weak to stop them.
“Then bullets hit the ground, sending mud everywhere, and they ran. My savior was Gwen Miller. She took me back to her house, took photos of my injuries before they healed, and then helped me get cleaned up. She called the sheriff. Not that that did much good. It was clear that he didn’t believe I had any rights.”
Harrison spoke. “The Moores claim it is Gwen who is anti-shifter.”
Andie gave a startled chuckle. “Gwen couldn’t be further from it.”
“Were you aware that her father is Kenny Cogman?” sniped Ezra, the shit-stirring bastard.
Andie gaped for a moment. “No, I wasn’t. But I don’t see that it matters.” She looked back at the council members. “She’s not him, and she’s nothing like him. Gwen was there for me all the way through this. She was willing to speak up for me when I wouldn’t speak up for myself. Even after I changed my statement, Brandt didn’t stop harassing me. Gwen gave me a place to stay. Helped me however she could. That kind of support can’t be faked.”
Touched by Andie’s complete confidence in her, Gwen swallowed hard.
Parker nodded. “Please take a seat, Miss Windsor.”
Pointedly ignoring the Moores and their supporters, Andie made her way to the bench behind Gwen. Leaning forward, she whispered, “Sorry it took me a while to get my shit together.”
Gwen frowned. “You don’t have to be sorry for anything. I’m really proud of you for doing this. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”
Andie glanced at the council members, who were now chatting quietly among themselves. “I can’t hear what they’re saying. Did Brandt come up with a decent case for his defense?” After Gwen debriefed her on all that had been said, Andie gawked. “The bastards tried to really imply that you were involved with that measly little fucker?”
Gwen silently chuckled. “Hopefully the council doesn’t buy it. Or buy anything else they said, for that matter. I got to warn you, though, they were quite convincing at times.” She gave Andie’s hand a supportive squeeze. “Even if the shithead gets off with it, he won’t get away with it, because I’ll shoot him in the dick.” She wasn’t even kidding. Hearing a throat clear, Gwen turned to face front.
Parker knitted his fingers together. “I agree with Mr. Moore that it doesn’t look good that both females altered their version of events. It can be hard to decide which statement holds the truth. I must also say that it is quite odd that someone who would fight so strongly for a shifter would even give the time of day to someone such as Kenny Cogman, biological father or not.”
Landyn nodded. “It would also be fair to note that it is the word of three against two—three boys whose stories never changed. They all come from respectable families and have never been in trouble with the law.”
Gwen almost snorted. Well of course, they hadn’t—Colt wouldn’t have arrested them.
“But there are other things to consider,” added Harrison. “Like that the Moores have a reputation in their hometown for being anti-shifter. The accused himself has a reputation for being violent and reckless.”
Emilio stared at Colt as he said, “I find it curious that the sheriff did indeed mishandle this case—or, to be specific, didn’t handle it at all. Nor did he handle it when the accused confronted Miss Miller at her home, bat in hand.” He held up a hand when Ezra went to speak. “Yes, I did see the injuries. But I know the difference between bruising that’s been done by fists and bruising done by blunt objects. Someone hurt your son, but it was not Miss Miller.”
“I find it hard to believe that Miss Miller and the accused were in a relationship of any kind,” said Parker. “I also find it difficult to believe that she could hide any prejudice from five shifters, particularly when one is a Seer. She has done our kind a good service, and I thank her for that.”
Emilio looked at Colt. “If you had dealt with this matter and the accused had been punished by human law, he would not be in this room right now. In a sense, you are partly responsible for the punishment he will endure at our hands.”
Ezra jumped to his feet, spluttering. “Punishment?”
“Brandt Moore, it is obvious to us that you are guilty of the assault on Miss Windsor,” Parker declared.
Relief filled Gwen, and she felt like she’d taken her first real breath since yesterday. She squeezed Zander’s hand and threw a smile over her shoulder at Andie, whose eyes were wet.
“We will detain and punish you, and then you will be released tomorrow,” continued Parker. “Your friends will also join you and receive punishment.”
Rowan’s father grabbed his son. “Not a chance.” And chaos pretty much broke out.
A defeated-looking Colt remained still and silent as the others shouted and cursed and protested. The council members merely left through a door near their panel, effectively dismissing them.
Brandt whirled on his father. “Do something! You can’t let them take me!” By then, three stocky males had entered the room and were already heading his way.
Red-faced, Ezra promised, “I won’t let him, I’ll—”
“You said you wouldn’t let this happen!” yelled Brandt. “You said you’d get me off!”
Arriving at the bench, the three males grabbed Brandt, Rowan, and Mack. As they were hauled away, their parents and Ezra’s chauffeur, Thad, struggled to follow. More shifters piled into the room, forcing the humans to step back while the boys were shoved through the door that the council members had disappeared through.
“Let’s leave now before their attention turns to us,” said Andie.
Gwen nodded. “Good idea.” But it was too late. No sooner had they all begun sliding out of the bench than Brandt’s mother, Moira, came storming toward Andie.
“You lying whore! My son never touched you!”
Andie just regarded the hysterical woman steadily. “I can see in your eyes that you know that’s not true.”
“You’re pinning it on him because you hate humans!” Moira screeched. “This is a hate crime! And you . . . you’re not even a person! You’re an animal!”