I wouldn’t have been ready to fight because I didn’t have anything to fight for. And I definitely wouldn’t have taken him up on his offer to stay in his house and obey his rules. I would’ve run back to the life I knew, not thinking I deserved anything better.
Larry hid his smile. He’d given me such a ribbing when I came home that day with the name registered and proud as fucking punch. I noticed some of the jurors smiling while others rolled their eyes.
My hands curled. “It’s personal. I stand by the name just like I stand by the millions of donations the charity has been able to provide.”
Larry nodded. “It’s an honorable achievement.”
“No, it’s an ongoing dream. Even while I’ve been incorrectly imprisoned, the charity has still run and provided for countless of homeless kids.”
A few jurors looked at each then glared at Greg.
Score one for me.
Larry marched in front of the witness box where I sat. “So that night, you and Elle were happy?”
Goddammit, I wanted to skip over this part.
It wouldn’t exactly paint me in a good light, but Larry had told me to trust him, so I did. “Not exactly.” Inhaling, I said loudly, “I’d lied to her. I’d entered into a relationship with her all while letting her believe I was a businessman with no ties to her past. She didn’t know I was the homeless man who’d rescued her from two attackers three years ago. I lied because I was hurt that she hadn’t come for me. I was pissed off because I’d developed feelings for her and thought she didn’t feel the same way.”
“What way is that?”
“In love.”
The jury shuffled.
I kept my eyes averted. Right now, I sounded like a fucking pussy. Greg chuckled while the judge hammered his gavel. “What link does this questioning have to the case in point, Mr. Barns?”
Larry stormed to the judge, craning his neck. “It’s introducing the accused, so the jury can make a better informed decision, your honor.”
For a second, I thought he’d overrule, but he reluctantly nodded. “Get on with it.”
“Thank you.” Larry returned to me. “So that night in question, Ms. Charlston thought she’d figured out who you were and left before you could explain she’d concluded wrong?”
“Yes.”
“And you chased after her?”
“I did.”
“Only she didn’t answer her door or phone, correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“And you gave her some space as you believed she was upset with you?”
“It wasn’t easy, but yes, that was my reasoning.”
Larry nodded importantly. “However, you changed your opinions a little later that night, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” I glowered at Greg. “I woke to being beaten by two men Mr. Hobson had paid off to scare me away from Elle. They said she was with him now and to back off.”
“And was she with him?” Larry asked.
“No. She’d confided in me that she didn’t want anything to do with him.”
Larry headed to his desk and collected photos of the day I was placed in custody. Sharing them with the jury, he said, “These are photos of Penn’s condition received by Greg’s courtesy.”
“Incorrect evidence.” Greg’s lawyer stood up, planting her hands on the table. “Those injuries were given by Greg as he fought for his life while Penn tried to murder him.”
The judge looked between the two lawyers. “Is that true?”
Larry shook his head. “No, your honor. I’m sure a few scratches were from the fight, but the majority were from being beaten awake hours earlier. I have doctors reports stating how long the contusions and bruises needed to form and discolor.”
He picked up another piece of paper and handed it to the judge. “In his opinion, the discoloration on Penn’s ribs, face, and other limbs were six to ten hours old before he had a chance to detain Mr. Hobson.”
The judge accepted the evidence with a nod.
Larry turned to me. “In your own words, Mr. Everett, can you describe what happened when you found Mr. Hobson?”
“With pleasure.” I bared my teeth. “Ms. Charlston was in chains. He had her bent over a couch about to rape her.”
“Not true!” Greg blurted. “She’d just agreed to go to the bedroom with me.”
“She knew I was sneaking up behind you, you fool!” I replied before the judge could yell for us to shut the hell up. “She used misdirection so I could incapacitate you.”
“Silence!” Patrick Blake commanded. “Another outburst and you’ll both be thrown back in the cells.”
Greg crossed his arms, slouching like a pissed off child.
I sat taller, embracing fearlessness because I’d done the right thing. I wasn’t the one lying.
For a change.
“So you don’t deny you touched Mr. Hobson?” Larry waited patiently, his eyebrow rose.
I knew the answer he wanted. What we’d schooled over. ‘Yes, I did. But only what was necessary to release Ms. Charlston and put Greg under citizen’s arrest.’
But I was done being polite. I wouldn’t waste any more time. I’d tell the truth but in my own words, not his. “I didn’t just touch him. I punched him. Multiple times.”
The court gasped as one.
I turned my vision to the jury. “He hurt my girl. He was about to rape my girl. I wasn’t going to have a conversation with him and ask politely if he’d stop abusing her. How many of you would have done that, instead of attacking the asshole who hurt your loved one?”
The jurors broke silence, muttering loudly amongst themselves. The reporters in the back pews started asking questions, adding to the mayhem.
Court propriety broke down.
The judge hammered his gavel. “Enough! Quiet down. All of you!”
Greg stood up, adding to the mix. “He’s lying. She was mine. She loves me. Don’t listen—”
“Enough!” the court officer bellowed.
A fight broke out between two jurors for reasons unknown but most likely had something to do with my question about what they would do and their mixed opinions on the matter.
“Quiet!” Judge Blake boomed.
The chaos only grew worse.
Desperate for order, he yelled, “Right, court adjourned. Reconvene tomorrow. Go home. All of you!”
And just like that, my time in the limelight was over.
Back to prison I go.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Elle
LARRY AND I stood on the steps of the courthouse.
Fleur waited ahead with Stewie, bribing his attention with a stick of chewing gum.
I’d asked her to. I needed Larry on his own because I had a plan.
After the disaster in the courtroom, I couldn’t leave things to chance anymore. I couldn’t let my heart gallop and my stomach sizzle with fear that Greg would be utterly vindictive and testify against Penn with every viciousness he had in him.
I couldn’t watch Penn be handcuffed and marched back to prison like this afternoon. I couldn’t survive with one conjugal visit a year and weekly phone calls.
Penn was innocent.
Greg was wrong.
He had to be stopped.
Threats wouldn’t work.
But I knew something that would.
“You have to get me a meeting with him, Larry. Tonight.”
Larry slammed to a stop. “Penn? No can do. He’ll be under lock-down now.”
“No, not him. Greg.”
His eyebrows disappeared into his salt and pepper hair. “What?”