Chapter 20
Andilyn
Ihave no idea what possesses me to question Raiden so bluntly and with an audience, but I couldn’t ignore his abrupt shift in demeanor a second longer.
Everyone present has made themselves a part of my story of their own accord, so I don’t see a point in pulling him aside to have this conversation.
Raiden scrubs a hand across his jaw, his gaze flickering around the table before settling on mine once again.
“A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for next Friday,” he states, the somber pitch of his voice making my skin prickle with goosebumps.
“What does that mean?” I cautiously ask, Hudson’s steady breathing a balm beneath my hand.
“It looks like Tobias is going to waive his right to a speedy trial.” Bile burns the back of my throat, an acidic manifestation of the dread that’s suddenly coursing through my body.
“His attorneys are going to drag this out for as long as they can. It gives them time to gather more evidence and build their case. But the same can be said for the prosecution. They’ll use this to their advantage and make their argument irrefutable.
” My ears start to ring as a thick wave of silence stretches between us.
I want to believe that Raiden’s confidence isn’t misplaced, but his attempt to spin this in our favor feels like a consolation.
I need the truth right now, not platitudes.
“So this demented fuck gets to sit in lock-up, most likely in solitary confinement due to the nature of the case, mooching off of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars as he works the system to his benefit.
Meanwhile, his victims are left in limbo and at the mercy of a twisted waiting game.
Is that what you’re saying?” Dayton’s rage-fueled inquisition elicits a grimace from Raiden, his reluctant nod confirming our suspicions.
“Surely taking this approach only solidifies his guilt in the eyes of public opinion, yes?” Rita implores, her shoulders tense as she begins to fidget.
“If you’re truly innocent, you wouldn’t intentionally prolong your detainment.
You’d want to be free as quickly as possible, trusting your alibi speaks for itself.
” Royce places his hand against her back in a soothing gesture, and while it’s validating to see them so indignant on my behalf, the injustice I feel is immeasurable.
And even that pales in comparison to the myriad of emotions Seth will experience once he hears about this.
“It might look that way from the outside, but it’s quite common to go this route.
As much as we’d like to believe the accused are innocent until proven guilty in this country, that’s not always the case.
Sometimes it’s contingent on what you can disprove, and when the odds are stacked against you, being detained for months on end is worth doing the time if it ultimately grants you your freedom in the end.
So while it may seem like an admission to the public, it’s viewed differently by the courts.
It’s smart and calculated, and they’ll use this opportunity to hammer out the fine points of their argument and cast doubt on the prosecution. ”
Raiden’s explanation only heightens my fear.
I can’t fathom a reality where Tobias isn’t locked away for the rest of his pathetic life.
Even though the death penalty is legal in Mississippi, it would be the merciful route in my opinion, and I want him to suffer.
To know what it feels like to be caged and at the mercy of someone else’s whims. As if sensing my current state of distress, the baby inside me begins to move, the weight of Hudson’s body pressed against my stomach making the barely perceptible shift more obvious.
There’s no validity to my thought process, but it feels like Tobias himself is manipulating the moment from afar.
The hold he has over me is akin to a tether snapped tautly, connecting us in a way that can’t be severed.
It doesn’t matter how much separation I put between myself and him; I can’t erase the part he played in this child’s creation.
Briggs seems to pick up on my fragile state of mind, so he snakes his fingers beneath my hair and squeezes the nape of my neck, his grip firm and grounding.
I drag in a deep breath, relaxing when the pressure he uses helps to center my focus.
“Regardless of the stunts he tries to pull, Tobias won’t succeed in swaying anyone with two brain cells to rub together.
However he goes about his conniving, there’s no excuse in the world that would exonerate him after being caught red-handed,” Colsen states vehemently, his surety a welcome reprieve from my own doubtfulness.
I look to Raiden expectantly, but the confirmation I was hoping to find dies a quick death when I take in the firm press of his lips.
“What is it?” I croak, my mouth growing dry as I wait on pins and needles. “What haven’t you told us?” Raiden sighs, the slump of his shoulders a telling sign of what’s to come.
“I’m not privy to everything, but based on the whispers I’ve heard around the office, it seems the defense’s argument is centered around the Veritas compound being a safe haven of sorts.
They’re claiming that Hudson was dropped off the day prior by an unknown individual and they simply gave him shelter, intending to contact the authorities when morning came but never got the chance to because of the raid,” Raiden divulges, his face contorted with pure disgust.
“Wait,” Dayton sputters, holding his hand up to signal a verbal timeout.
“He expects us to believe that their fortress of fuckery was somehow equivalent to a firehouse dropbox for babies?” He cackles, the unexpected response catching me off guard, but one by one, we each cave to the absurdity of Tobias’ reasoning and join in.
I swipe the tears from my eyes, surprised my laughter didn’t wake Hudson.
“There’s no way that bullshit is going to fly. ”
“I’d like to think that as well, but I refuse to discredit any possibilities.
They’ve yet to find a murder weapon, so the only proof we have of Tobias’ involvement is Andi’s word.
Veritas, while unknown to us at the time, has expertly integrated their most loyal within our community over the years.
They’ve portrayed themselves to be the perfect example of do-gooders, so the idea of them giving sanctuary to a small child isn’t far-fetched.
And with their disconnect from the secular world, it makes sense that they wouldn’t have heard about Hudson from the news. ”
“Who the fuck are you rooting for?” Briggs snaps, his anger a tangible entity sucking all the oxygen from the room. “You sound like a goddamn fanboy.”
“Excuse me?” Raiden’s icy tone sends a shiver up my spine.
“I stand with Andi at every goddamn turn and possible setback, but I’m not going to plow her with fake niceties when reality is far more complicated.
As much as I want this case to be a cut-and-dried decision, I’m pragmatic enough to know anything could happen.
These discussions are necessary if Andi wants to be prepared, and the key to crippling their defense is looking at this from all angles, including theirs.
I’m sorry if that chafes your delicate sensibilities, but don’t ever question my loyalty again.
” An awkward beat of silence descends around us, the two of them glaring at one another contemptuously, but I’m too preoccupied by the visceral reaction my body is having to Raiden’s heated statement.
There’s something to be said about a man who declares you have his undying support.
“Gentlemen,” Royce intervenes, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Let’s focus on the actual villain of this story and put a pin in the side quest. And might I remind you to watch your language.”
It takes them a few more seconds to finally end their pissing contest, but my yawn seems to garner the attention of the whole table.
I glance at the clock perched on the built-in bar, shocked to see how late it is.
Wedging my hand beneath Hudson, I carefully search the pocket of my hoodie.
Briggs clears his throat, producing my phone once my attention is focused on him.
He must have picked it up from wherever I last discarded it.
It’s a fitting theme for how the day has gone, him swooping in to fix my messes.
I tap the screen, but I haven’t missed any calls or texts.
“Have you heard from Seth?” I direct my question to Raiden, a hint of worry brushing against my senses.
“It’s been six hours.” I let that fact hang between us and speak for itself.
I have no idea where he was headed or what he was planning to do, but not much is open at this time of night. He should have been back by now.
“No, but I’ll reach out and see what’s going on.” Raiden stands, heading towards the balcony so he can make the call without an audience.
Briggs leans over and lifts Hudson from my chest, then extends his hand to help me up.
I arch an eyebrow at his blatant hovering, but when he meets my gaze and shows no sign of backing down, I sigh and accept the offered assistance.
It doesn’t escape me that one day soon I’ll be struggling to tie my own shoes, so maybe he can lay off the invalid treatment until I actually need it.
“It went to voicemail,” Raiden muses, his pinched expression giving credence to my unease.
“I’ll keep trying, but in the meantime I’m going to contact dispatch and make sure they haven’t picked him up.
” My stomach drops at the thought of Seth handcuffed, his massive form shoved in the back of a police car.
As much as I want to deny the possibility of him being arrested, I know his actions have been erratic and a cause for concern.
“Don’t borrow extra worry just yet, Angel,” Briggs voices, his gaze cutting towards Raiden before continuing. “I’ve done lots of stupid shit in this city and never been caught. Statistically, the odds are in his favor, which says a lot about the mediocre job they’re doing.”
“Is this really who you want to spend your time with?” Raiden sneers, his question directed at me but his gaze locked on the man he clearly has an issue with.
“Careful, Briggs. You might’ve gotten away with some shit, but not everything.
I can read your arrest record if you’d like.
Give Andi a glimpse of who you really are.
” Anticipating his response, I grip the back of Briggs’ shirt to keep him from doing something stupid.
He’s still got Hudson in his arms, and I will end them both if they escalate this any further.
“Jesus,” Colsen grumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “You two put Dayton and Briggs’ bickering to shame. Can one of you please act your age so we can decide what to do from here?”
“Look at you,” Royce beams, playfully nudging his shoulder. “I knew you had the ability to take charge when you needed to.” Colsen looks bewildered by the random remark, but he quickly recovers, his eyes meeting mine expectantly.
“There’s nothing I can do but wait and see if Raiden uncovers any information on Seth’s whereabouts. Until then, we’re going to bed.” I gesture to Hudson, ensuring there’s no confusion on the we part.
“I think that’s an excellent idea, Andi,” Rita agrees, her head nodding primly.
“Get some rest, love. And please don’t feel obligated to make an appearance tomorrow morning.
It’s been a rough night.” My non-committal response isn’t fooling anyone; they know I’ll be there if it’s within my power to do so.
“Let’s go, Angel.” Briggs places a hand on the small of my back, steering me towards the door.
I give Royce a quick goodbye hug on my way out, wishing my baggage hadn’t made dinner such a somber event for him and Rita.
The tension I’ve been carrying starts to dissipate the moment we step outside.
There’s been a drastic drop in the temperature compared to just a few hours earlier, so I quicken my steps to get Hudson out of the cold.
Kicking my shoes off, I make a pit stop by the bathroom.
After washing my hands and brushing my teeth, I head towards the bedroom, stopping short when I catch sight of Briggs tucking Hudson in, his fingers gently stroking a strand of hair from his cherub-like face.
My chest aches at how soft and malleable his hardness becomes in the presence of someone needing comfort.
Briggs is the embodiment of a contradiction, and every stolen glance I get of the man he used to be, the one who hadn’t been marred by the cruelties of life, plants a seed of hope in the barren wasteland of my tattered soul.
There’s so much good inside of him, but it’s buried beneath a thick layer of scar tissue.
I’ll never believe that there was a bigger plan at play or some philosophical reasoning behind the hell I was put through, but I can objectively recognize that this moment wouldn’t exist if things hadn’t happened the way they did.
Briggs closes the gap between us, his coal-colored eyes raking over me from head to toe.
His attention isn’t leering, more like he’s taking inventory, double-checking that all is good with me after the unexpected turn our dinner conversation took.
My smile is barely there, but he accepts it for what it is.
Nothing about tonight is okay–not Seth’s disappearing act, and certainly not Tobias’ pathetic attempt to pull a fast one.
I’d love to write off the reasoning his defense is planning to use as completely implausible–nothing more than a far-fetched lie the jury won’t have any trouble picking apart–but I have firsthand experience with how adept Tobias is in the art of lying.
It’s a miserable feeling to know a person you’ve trusted for so long is being dishonest with you, but even worse is not knowing.
I knew him better than anyone, or at least I thought I did, and even I was blindsided by his scheming.
It’d be remiss of me to think his charm and manipulative personality wouldn’t endear him to a group of strangers.
If I couldn’t detect his lies, who’s to say they will?