Chapter 24 #3
“In that case,” Briggs states, ripping a paper towel from the dispenser before dampening it with a bit of water.
“We can’t have you going out there looking anything less than unbothered.
” He swipes beneath my eyes, removing any mascara that started to run while I was losing the contents of my stomach.
Next, he pulls a tin of mints from his pocket and offers me one.
I gladly take several, flashing him an appreciative smile.
“Ready?” he asks, nodding towards the hallway, the sound of voices growing as I take a few more seconds to shore up my defenses.
I nod, mustering up a smile that belies my confidence, and say, “Let’s go.”
Briggs takes my hand, his touch a comforting reassurance that I’m no longer alone.
Our arrival is timed perfectly with a security officer ushering us inside the courtroom.
I don’t see Ada, but I have no intention of actively seeking her out.
If I never lay eyes on that woman for the rest of my life, it’ll be too soon.
As planned, we seat ourselves at the very back, hoping to fly under the radar as much as possible.
I fixate on the clock mounted behind the bench, counting down the seconds as I wait for Raiden to join us.
It ticks away, but there’s still no sign of him.
Right when I’ve given up hope, the door creaks open, drawing my attention.
My relieved exhale is cut short, replaced with shock and confusion as I finally catch sight of the late arrival.
Seth saunters in, taking a seat on the opposite side of the aisle, his gaze focused straight ahead, completely oblivious to the two of us.
Brows furrowed, I tap Briggs’ thigh to get his attention.
Leaning forward, he follows my line of sight, looking just as perplexed as I do.
Last I heard, from what little correspondence we’ve exchanged recently, Seth wasn’t planning to attend today’s hearing.
Hudson has therapy on the opposite side of town that conflicted with the timing, and while his sessions are private, I’ve never known his father to venture beyond the waiting room.
Nothing about his appearance leads me to believe that he woke up this morning with plans to be here.
And if he did, his choice in attire was certainly given the least amount of consideration possible.
The buttons of his flannel long-sleeve shirt are askew, haphazardly thrown together with a pair of heavily faded blue jeans.
While it’s arguably not the traditional clothing one would grace a courtroom with, something tells me that Seth’s lack of effort regarding his wardrobe is a direct reflection of how he feels about Tobias–a waste of time and energy.
Before I can wave him over to sit with us, his body grows rigid, hushed whispers filling the room.
As if I can sense his presence, my eyes are drawn towards the sound of shuffling, my breath hitching at the sight of Tobias being ushered inside the courtroom through a side entrance.
He’s flanked by an officer and, presumably, his lawyer, hands cuffed in front of him, but no restraint in the world would ever allow me to feel a modicum of safety when forced to share space with him.
A whimper escapes me unbidden, causing Briggs to shift uncomfortably, his fingers gripping my thigh and squeezing in an effort to ground me.
I close my eyes and count to ten, pushing aside the persistent need to flee.
I have no recollection of what’s said over the next few minutes, only tuning back in when Tobias is instructed to stand and address the judge.
Despite knowing what his intentions are, it doesn’t make it any less painful when he actually voices it.
As expected, he declines his right to a speedy trial.
My stomach tightens when I think of the ramifications, how long this could be drawn out because of his cowardice.
A few more words are exchanged between the legal teams, but I’m no longer present mentally.
Maybe if I had been more attuned to my surroundings—to Seth, in particular—I could’ve prevented the macabre scene that plays out in a matter of seconds.
As Tobias is being led from the courtroom, Seth uses the momentary distraction to his benefit, lifting the firearm fastened to the officer’s side who’s been tasked with guarding the main door.
Faster than my brain can process, and with expert precision and aim, he fires the weapon, lodging a bullet between Tobias’s eyes.
The last thing I see before Briggs covers my body with his own is the spray of blood painting the pristine white walls of the courtroom.
My ears are ringing, but mixed with all the screaming and chaos taking place is the unmistakable sound of a second gunshot.
A devastated scream claws its way up my throat, because I know, with absolute certainty, that Seth was the intended target.
I try my hardest to push Briggs off of me, hoping by some miracle, if I can just get to Seth, that maybe, just maybe, he can still be saved.
My effort is futile when pitted against the heavy form covering me protectively, refusing to budge, regardless of my begging and pleading.
My screams mix with the din of others who’ve just witnessed the gruesome murder of a man who deserved far worse, but my cries are for the broken father who just took the law into his own hands and orphaned his child.
If there was ever a question of whether Tobias still held even the tiniest shard of my heart, this moment obliterates any doubt.
Instead of mourning the first man I ever loved, the person he was before being enticed by greed and power, I’m grieving Seth Taylor.
For Hudson, who’s going to lose the only parent he has left, either through death or imprisonment.
Somehow, the harsh, shaken voice of another officer pulls me from my panicked thoughts, and I belatedly register his shout for us to exit through the judge’s chambers.
Briggs immediately goes into fixer mode, lifting me from the small space where we were sheltered between the rows of benches.
Predicting my next move, he sweeps me off my feet, pressing my face to his chest as he carries me from the room.
“Don’t look, baby,” Briggs implores, his voice catching painfully. “Jesus, fuck, don’t look.” His heartbroken plea confirms my worst fear.
Seth is gone.