Chapter 13 #2
My brows shoot up and Mason chokes on the sip of scotch he just took, thumping his chest with the heel of his fist. “I did not need to know that,” he mutters hoarsely.
“Language,” Mia sighs weakly, looking reluctantly amused.
“I think I’m in love,” I hear Chloe say faintly from the other end of the table, but my attention is firmly back on my sister, who looks entirely unbothered by the admission as she contemplates her glass with a soft furrow between her brows.
“Need any pointers?” I ask her slyly, just as Macey screams, “BAT!”
Quicker than I can blink, something dark plunges into Emily’s glass from the general direction of the vaulted ceiling, spraying deep purple wine in every direction. She blinks in shock, wine dripping off the end of her sloped nose.
“Holy shit, it’s an actual bat!” Teddy gasps out a laugh, leaning across Jax to get a better look at the leathery little ball struggling to get out.
“How the fuck did a bat get in here?” I mutter, using my already wine-splattered hand to pluck it out. It struggles weakly in my grip, squeaking in protest.
“Bat! Bat!” Macey starts to chorus excitedly as people laugh.
“Never mind that, my outfit is ruined!” Emily whines, thudding the glass of spoiled wine down onto the table as she stares down at her stained clothes in dismay.
“Probably for the best,” I cut in dryly as I stand to find a window to get rid of the black bat still struggling in my hand. “I thought these things had pinpoint sonar.”
“Actually, scientists found out that bats fly into each other all the time,” a small voice cuts into the stunned silence.
I pause, blinking at Diego just like everyone else as he flushes under the attention.
Chloe grins and places a gentle hand on the back of his neck in encouragement.
He’s a shy, sensitive kid, and that’s only become stronger since he grew out of that stage kids go through where they blurt out everything they’re thinking.
“Huh, is that so?” I glance down at the struggling creature, using my free hand to crack open one of the tall windows overlooking Midtown.
The air that whips into the narrow gap is cool given we are so high up, so I make quick work of sticking my hand out and letting it go. It drops out of sight almost instantly.
“They also can’t fly with wet wings,” Diego mumbles quietly.
I freeze, turning to the table where everyone is watching with raised brows.
Chloe slaps a hand to her mouth, her blue eyes flaring wide as she catches my eye.
Jax raises his fist to his mouth, tugging the peak of his cap further down over his chestnut curls, and Mia is suddenly very interested in cutting up Macey’s food. Mason rolls his eyes.
“Well, shit.” I click my tongue and turn my attention back to the god-knows-how-many-story drop I’ve just unknowingly plunged the bat down to its death.
“Well, shit!” Macey parrots, pointing her finger proudly into the air.
“Language!” Mia groans again quietly as the table bursts into laughter, Chloe losing her battle and pulling a mortified-looking Diego into her side.
***
“Count one, conspiracy to commit Computer Fraud and Securities Fraud. Count two, Unauthorized Access to Protected Computers. Count three—”
“Holy crap,” I mutter, watching Pepper run distinctly chalky beneath her usually rich skin.
“Transmission of Malicious Code. Count four—”
It keeps going, and going, and going. The crowded downtown courtroom is still as the judge rattles off the charges. My lawyer Eric Landeau’s face remains cryptically stoic where he stands beside Pepper at the defendant’s bench.
“How does the defendant plead?”
Pepper leans down to be closer to the microphone poking out of the desk, and her voice cracks a touch. “Not guilty, Your Honor.”
“Alright,” the judge replies, shuffling papers under his heavy moustache. “The court—”
“Your Honor, we would like to submit a motion to remand the defendant into custody to await trial. We have reason to believe she is involved with the criminal activist group known as Incognito. This gives her extensive connections and the means to flee.” The young blonde defense attorney smooths her suit down, tipping her head up in confidence.
I still, zoning in on Pepper’s face, which might as well be impenetrable stone right now.
“Your Honor,” Landau drawls, his brows pinched in heavy skepticism.
“There is absolutely no evidence of any connection between my client and Incognito. It’s a reach, even for Miss Davenport here.
We ask that you allow my young client to continue with her job and her responsibilities while we wait for a court date. ”
“I’ll allow it, Mr. Landau. The defendant will remain released on bail pending trial.” The judge picks up his gavel and draws it back.
“Your Honor, the state is ready for trial and requests the earliest available setting.” Miss Davenport flips her notepad closed and stands poised, her hands propped up on fingertips on the desk below her.
Arrogance. She’s young and smart, likely wiping the floor with every attorney she comes across—all part of her ploy to work her reputation up and land a fat salary at a law firm, most likely.
I lean forward on the hard bench, frowning at the ensemble at the front of the courtroom. This whole thing feels like it’s about to go south. I’ve developed a sixth sense for these things—the moment the weight in the air shifts right before disaster strikes.
“And I presume you would object, Councilor?” The judge darts dark eyes to Landau.
“Strongly. We need a fair amount of time to prepare my client’s defense.” Landau nods, not showing an ounce of emotion.
“How long are you proposing?” the judge fires back.
“Eighteen months,” Eric supplies quickly.
“And the state?”
“Two weeks.” The young lawyer steeples her spine, shooting a sly glance in my direction when no one is paying attention.
I’m aware of who she is, but only because I’m connected with the state’s attorney and he paid me the courtesy of letting me know he stuck his best pit bull on the job.
No doubt she would like a win against my legal team to leverage herself into a corporate law firm when she finishes her time at the state’s attorney’s office.
The judge swipes a gnarled hand down his face, muttering something the microphone poking out of his desk doesn’t pick up.
“The prosecutor says two weeks, and the defense eighteen months. Let’s split that right down the middle and say nine weeks.
” Sarcasm drips from his tone as he bangs down his gavel, and curls his hand to his clerk to proceed with the next case.
A shell-shocked Pepper is ushered down the aisle by Landeau and I rise without hesitation, jarred by the way silver lines those striking eyes.
The sound of the next case commencing wraps around me as I quickly squeeze my way past my bench mates and follow them, leaving the stuffy scent of old wood and carpet behind and ending up in the cavernous court atrium.
Natural light streams in through the high windows, a welcome reprieve after the fluorescence of the courtroom.
“Hey!” I call out at the rigid shoulders that stalk away from me toward the security turnstiles.
She whirls around. “Don’t you hey me, Walker.” A black nail-varnished finger gets lodged in my face, her eyes flaming with bundled up energy. “I was assured it would be years before the trial came around!”