Epilogue
EPILOGUE
Two weeks later…
Chaney sat on a wooden bench outside of the courtroom with Rawlins waiting to be called to testify. Justus was already inside giving her testimony. She didn’t know how long it would be before they’d call her, but she sure was feeling knots in her stomach.
“You’re cutting off the circulation in my hand,” Rawlins warned.
“Sorry,” she said, loosening her grip. “I know McAdams worked with us and assured us that we could go in there and do this without a problem, but until I’ve actually stepped my foot into that witness box, I don’t think I will truly believe it.”
“You’ll do fine, darling,” Rawlins said. “I have faith in you.”
He lifted her hand and kissed the top of it with a feathery light brush of his lips that sent a tingle all the way down her spine to her core.
“Rawlins,” she moaned in the back of throat.
He grinned at her, arching his brows in a promise of more where that came from, and she knew he meant it because he had a way of taking her breath away.
The large, wooden doors to the court room opened and the bailiff stepped out. “Miss Chaney Daniels to the witness stand.”
Her moan turned to a groan of disgust, and she stood, walking forward. Rawlins followed to take a seat in the back of the court room and watch the proceedings.
She walked to the front of the court room, trying not to get distracted by those sitting in the gallery or looking at the defendants. She did not want to look at that table and lose her cool by focusing her attention on Nuchols, Bidle, or Polaski. It was bad enough that she’d eventually have to go through this again when Leland Warshafsky was prosecuted.
Taking the stand, she raised her right hand when asked and repeated after the bailiff before taking her seat in the witness box.
“Miss Daniels,” Mr. McAdams began. “Can you state for the record what happened to you early this year at the end of the spring semester.”
She swallowed before taking a deep breath and gave her account of what happened when she joined Justus and Kurtis on the hiking weekend.
“And is Kurtis Nuchols present in the courtroom today?” McAdams asked.
“He is,” Chaney said, pointing him out at the defendants table without being asked.
“Let the record show, that the witness has identified one of the men in question,” McAdams said going over to his table and coming back with a folder. He opened it up and showed her photos of. “It is my understanding that while you were in captivity that you were on several occasions physically abused. We have evidence of this abuse from when you were taken to the hospital upon your rescue. I’d like to show the jury exhibits 6 and 7. Can you tell us about it?”
“That’s true,” Chaney said. “I was beaten by Poe Polaski because I stood up to him and when he was doing it to another girl, I called him out for it. The evidence you have is from that abuse.”
“Can you identify your abuser, Miss Daniels? Is this man, Poe Polaski in the courtroom today?”
“He is. He’s the big, beefy one, sitting in the middle,” she said, pointing to the defendant’s table.
She sucked in her breath and finally stared out over the gallery, her gaze landing on a couple she’d never dreamed in a million years would be sitting there. Her parents. They hadn’t even told her they were coming, but she steeled herself against reacting. She wouldn’t let them sway her resolve to give her testimony. Nor would she let the fact that her father just gave her a thumbs up distract her.
“Objection, your honor.” Felty stood.
“Overruled, Mr. Felty,” the judge said. “You may continue, Mr. McAdams.”
“Miss Daniels, do all the defendants work alone?” he asked.
“No, they work for Leland Warshafsky,” she said.
“Objection, your honor,” Felty stood. “Mr. McAdams already established this in Miss Killion’s testimony. Why is he rehashing it in Miss Daniels?”
“To prove without a shadow of a doubt that these men did not act alone. They work for Leland Warshafsky and Mr. Felty knows it,” McAdams said. “Felty knows it because he and his law firm represent Warshafsky and his illegal dealings.”
“Objection, your honor,” Felty yelled. “Neither I, nor my law firm and our client list are on trial here.”
“Sustained. You’re treading on dangerous grounds claiming there are illegal dealings, Mr. McAdams. Be careful. We’ve already established earlier during Miss Killion’s testimony that there is a conflict of interest with Mr. Felty representing these men and Warshafsky too. But you can’t claim illegal dealings without proof.”
“I understand, your honor,” McAdams said picking up a clicker and flashing a photo of Chaney in a bikini and high heels on the large television screen for all to see. “Miss Daniels, were you forced to dress this way during your abduction?”
“Yes. Every. Day. I. Was. Held. Against. My. Will.”
“Objection, your honor,” Felty said.
The judge shook his head. “Overruled.”
“Thank you, Miss Daniels, that will be all,” Adams said, going back to his seat.
“Your witness, Mr. Felty,” the judge said.
“Thank you, your honor.” Felty walked over to the witness box. He smiled at Chaney. “I appreciate you taking the time to come here today to testify, Miss Daniels.”
“I didn’t have much of a choice,” she said. “I had a civic duty to fulfill, besides, those monsters couldn’t go free.”
Felty winced. “Is that how you see all men? As monsters?”
“No. Not good men. Just those men,” she pointed at the defendant’s table.
“Please, Miss Daniels, let’s refrain from theatrics,” Felty said.
“It isn’t theatrics, they human trafficked me. They tried to dehumanize me by how they made me dress and then they tried to auction me and several others off on the black market. You should be ashamed for representing them. And for representing their boss, Leland Warshafsky.”
The courtroom erupted with applause as people stood in the gallery. The judge banged his gavel several times to quieten them down.
“I’ll remove the gallery if there is one more outburst like that!” The judge warned.
Felty turned, looked at the gallery, and then back at the witness box. “I have no further questions for this hostile witness.”
Chaney stood feeling weak in the knees, but she stepped down from the witness box without falling. She walked out of the courtroom, not wanting to linger to hear any more of the testimony.
The double wooden doors opened a few moments later and Rawlins came out.
Chaney rushed to Rawlins, and he hugged her. “You were wonderful up there. I knew you’d do great,” he said.
“I can’t stand Felty,” she grumbled, pulling away from him when the double doors opened again, and her parents came out of the court room. “Mom. Dad. What are you doing here?”
“We didn’t like the way we left things, kiddo,” her father said. “After your mother’s little meltdown, we saw a therapist and she advised us that maybe we were being a little overprotective.”
You think? A little voice inside of Chaney’s head screamed.
“You went to counseling?” she asked.
“We did,” her mom said with a bright smile on her face. “And she was wonderful. We don’t want to lose you, Chaney. We love you.”
“I love you too, Mom,” Chaney said. “But threatening to withdraw my financial support when you’ve refused to allow me to get a job, or even learn to do basic skills to take care of myself is cruel. You know.”
“We have seen that with the sessions we’ve attended,” her father said.
“You must have gone to daily if you’ve made that must progress in such little time, Chaney said.
“Twice a week since we last spoke,” her father said. “But it has been worth it.”
Chaney nodded. “And are you still insisting that I return to Baltimore?”
“Not if you are happy out here,” her father said. “We are hopeful once you finish your education that you will consider returning to be closer to us, but we realize that your job in Linguistics may take you across the country.”
Chaney grinned and looked down at the floor, then back up at them. “About that… I’ve been meaning to tell you I’m changing my major.”
“You are?” Her mother said. “To what?”
“Social work.”
The blood drained from her mother’s face, but she didn’t speak, she only swallowed for several moments. “That’s nice, dear.”
“If that is what you think you want to do,” her father said.
“It is. I’ve already been volunteering at a youth shelter for the last several weeks to get my feet wet in community service,” she explained.
“Volunteering?” her mother’s face lit up as the color slowly came back into it. “Like charity work? You know I am a big fan of charity work.”
“It’s different type of work, mother, but yes, it could be still considered charity work.”
“I suppose it runs in our blood,” her mother beamed.
Chaney’s father leaned close. “Dear, who is that young man who is hoovering close to you?”
“Oh.” Chaney reached for Rawlins’ hand and pulled him over. “Mom. Dad. I want you to meet Rawlins. He’s my boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” her mother chirped. “How did you ever have time to meet?”
Her father was repeating his name over and over under his breath. “Wait. I knew I remembered that name. Broderick said Hank Patterson hired you a bodyguard to protect you until the trial and his name was Rawlins.”
“That’s right, sir.” Rawlins said. “I am her protector and we have gotten close during our time together.”
“I see. Just how close is close?” Webster Daniels asked Rawlins.
“Not that close, sir,” he assured him. “But close enough I’ve decided to stay on in Colorado Springs instead of returning to Texas for the near future. Chaney will have to testify when Leland Warshafsky stands trial too.”
“Aren’t all Brotherhood Protectors former military?” Webster asked.
“They are. I’m a medically retired Army Ranger.”
“Thank you for your service,” he said.
“Why don’t we all go to dinner?” Gwen suggested. “I don’t know about you, but all this legal business has left me famished.”
“Wonderful idea,” Webster agreed. He reached into his suit pocked and pulled out his phone. “I’ll call our hotel and make a reservation for us in the dining room.”
“Or you could come home with us, and I could cook,” Chaney offered.
Her parents gave her a shocked look.
“You. Cook?” Her mother finally said. And then laughed.
“I do have a gourmet kitchen after all,” Chaney reminded them. “It doesn’t take much to learn to prepare a decent meal.”
Her parents chuckled and headed out of the rotunda.
Chaney looked at Rawlins. “I don’t think they believe I can cook.”
“It’s okay, sweetie. I know you can,” he said, kissing her on the temple. “You’re getting better with every meal you prepare.”
“They may be in counseling, but I am not dumb enough to believe that it will fix all our issues overnight,” she said. “But it is a start, and I’m glad they’ve made that effort before I lost me for good.”
“I am too,” he agreed.
She turned to him wrapping her arms around his waist and he leaned his forehead down to hers. “I love you, Rawlins.”
“I love you, too.”