Chapter 19
Nineteen
R uth exited the courthouse, tired, looking forward to heading home. She decided she’d call Alex on her way. The brisk winter wind caught her off guard as she stepped into the courthouse garage. She hadn’t gone more than a few paces when she spotted Alex Marcel standing near her car. His normally calm, composed demeanor was gone, replaced by a look of panic she had never seen on him before.
“Alex?” she called out as she approached him. “What’s going on? Is my mom okay? My sisters? Noah?”
He turned to her, his face pale and lined with worry. “Ruth, your family is fine. I need your help. It’s Noah.”
Ruth blinked in confusion. “What’s wrong? Is he hurt? What happened?”
Alex ran a hand through his graying hair, his voice thick with desperation. “He’s been arrested. They’re accusing him of witness tampering, Ruth. They think he’s responsible for getting a witness killed. But I know him—he wouldn’t do this. Someone is setting him up.”
Ruth’s heart sank. The anguish in Alex’s eyes, the way his hands shook as he spoke matched hers. “When did this happen?”
“This morning,” Alex said, his voice raw. “Two FBI agents came and took him from our office. He’s probably already in holding, and you know how dangerous it can be for someone like him if they jail him.”
Ruth’s mind raced. An investigator from the state’s attorney’s office accused of leaking information? It was a nightmare scenario, the kind that could destroy a person’s life in an instant.
“Alex, I’m a junior attorney,” she said frantically. “I’ve never tried a case like this?—”
“I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t life or death,” Alex interrupted, his voice pleading. “Noah is like a brother to me. You know how the system works. Once they’ve labeled him a traitor, the other inmates will be gunning for him. They’ll kill him before he even gets a chance to defend himself. And if he survives, his career is gutted.”
Ruth stared at Alex, torn between her heart and her professional instincts. She had always kept her personal and work lives strictly separate—compartmentalizing them was a shield she relied on. But this? This was uncharted and dangerous territory. Witness tampering was a federal crime, and she wasn’t just inexperienced in navigating such a high-profile case—she wasn’t sure she had the nerve to face what it would mean if she failed.
“Please, Ruth,” Alex said, his voice raw with desperation. “He needs you. Someone who is smart, sharp, and willing to fight for what’s right. I can’t think of anyone else who could help him.”
Ruth’s chest tightened. His words hit a vulnerable chord, but they also highlighted the situation. Noah Kandor wasn’t just anyone. He was the man she’d fallen in love with. The thought of stepping in now, of possibly failing him, was almost too much to bear. She felt utterly unprepared for this level of responsibility, for the stakes that came with a case tied to federal crime.
“Alex,” she began, her voice shaky as she tried to maintain her professional composure. “This… this isn’t a small thing. It’s not just about what’s right or wrong—this is a high-profile federal case. If I mess up, it’s Noah’s life on the line.”
Alex reached for her hand, his grip firm but imploring. “You won’t mess up. You’ve got this, Ruth. Please. He needs someone to cut through this mess before it’s too late.”
Her heart raced, torn between her fear of failure and a fierce instinct to protect Noah. She wanted to help him, to run to his side and promise everything would be okay. But she knew better than to act on emotion alone—this wasn’t a movie or a romantic gesture. This was real, messy, and terrifying.
“I can’t just make this decision on my own,” she said finally, her voice trembling. “I need to get permission from my boss. And even then…” she trailed off, unable to voice the doubt clawing at her.
Alex nodded, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Whatever you have to do, just… please try. He doesn’t have anyone else he can trust. Whoever did this has long tentacles. The FBI doesn’t make an arrest unless they’re sure.”
Ruth exhaled slowly, the decision heavy on her shoulders. “Alright,” she whispered, though every fiber of her being screamed with uncertainty. “I can take care of the case at least through the arraignment. We’ll go from there.”
Ruth felt her composure cracking. She stood there in the courthouse garage, clutching her bag as her thoughts spiraled. Deep down, a small voice whispered that she needed to help Noah, to be there for him no matter what the consequences were. But the logical part of her knew this wasn’t about emotions—this was about justice, the law, and stepping into a world she wasn’t sure she could navigate.
She opened her car door and dumped her bag in the passenger seat. She pulled her phone from it, her hand trembling, and dialed her secretary, Melanie, who’d connect her to her boss. She sought clarity—and permission—that would steady her wavering resolve.
Alex’s relief was palpable as he stood by watching her. Ruth’s mind was already spinning with the implications. Noah was in serious trouble, and there wasn’t a moment to lose.
Melanie picked up on the third ring. “Ruth Everhart’s office. How may I help you?”
“Mel, it’s me. I need you to look up the federal arraignment schedule,” Ruth demanded. “Noah Kandor was arrested today. The FBI picked him up out of his office. See when they’re bringing him in front of a judge.”
“Give me one second,” Melanie said, her fingers tapping audibly against a keyboard on the other end of the line. “Noah—your Noah? Noah from the party?”
“Please, Mel.” Ruth tried to keep her tone professional.
After a few moments, she returned. “No one by that name is on the docket for tomorrow morning. Judge Daniels is handling things though.”
“Shit.” They were going to hold him for seventy-two hours. “Call over to the clerk’s office and see if Judge Daniels is still in his office.” The wind blew into the car, knocking her hair askew. She turned her head to it, and Alex positioned his body to block it.
After keeping Ruth on hold, Mel returned to the line. “Clerk says he leaves at four o’clock on the dot.”
“Thanks, Mel.” Ruth turned to Alex, who was standing anxiously at her side. “He’s not on the docket.”
“If he’s kept in jail…” She didn’t need to wonder what Alex was thinking. His face was gray with worry.
Ruth dialed Blake Ellison directly. She hoped she didn’t get in trouble for not calling Matt Brandt, her direct supervisor, or Dylan Grant, the supervisor for her bureau. He answered immediately, tinkling glassware and murmurs audible in the background.
"Blake, I have a problem."
"What kind of problem? This about Eamon’s case?" he asked. “You couldn’t reach Matt or Dylan?” She wondered how he knew about a relatively insignificant case for Ellison tell them you’re his attorney. I’ll wait until I hear back from you. If they begin to process him, I’ll work on getting him into protective custody, but listen—if they’re playing games with a cop, he’s either dirty as hell, or he pissed off someone with serious money."
She thought about how gentle and open he had been with her. Ruth sighed. I trust you, Noah. She told her boss, “Blake, he’s not dirty.”
She turned to Alex, her face tense with concern. "They don’t have him on the docket yet. Are you sure they arrested him?"
Alex ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in his eyes. "I can only confirm they left the building with him in handcuffs.” He blew out a breath. “The witness came to him. Noah's been living and breathing this case, digging into everything that man hinted at. The witness was slow to tell us what he found. We had him in protective custody. But before he could give his deposition, he was kidnapped from the protection. The two cops with him were found unconscious.”
Ruth stared at him, her heart sinking. “The witness?”
"Knowing that would put you in danger.” Alex scanned the area.
“What happened today?” Ruth asked.
“The FBI stormed in, slapped cuffs on him, and paraded him out of the building. It was only luck that I was there, waiting on another investigator. I saw the whole thing. Noah shouted, ‘Arrested! FBI! Witness tampering!' right before they shoved him into a car. They didn’t even try to hide it."
"What the hell? It was a showpiece," Ruth cried. "I don’t know what game they’re playing, but I’m calling Ethan. I’ve got to see what I can do. I’m heading over there now." She immediately called Ethan, her sister Molly’s husband. He was Special Agent in Charge of the resident agency in Pierre.
When he picked up, his voice was calm as always. "Ruthie, how are you? We missed you. Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year to you.” She took a deep breath. “Ethan, I need your help. Noah Kandor’s been arrested.”
“As in state’s attorney office Kandor? Your Noah?”
Was he her Noah? “Yes. The FBI came into his office and took him in front of everyone. Alex saw it happen. They’re charging him with witness tampering. He wouldn’t do that.”
There was a pause on the other end. "I have no idea about any investigation into Noah happening, and I definitely didn’t know about any arrest. Come straight to my office, Ruth. We need to figure this out."
Ruth hung up, her mind racing. If Ethan, the boss, wasn’t aware of this, then something much bigger was at play.