Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Dana hugs herself. “Yes. Yes, okay.”
“I don’t even want a text message exchanged with Reginald,” I add. “I mean it. Nothing. Agreed?”
“Yes. Agreed.”
I study her a few beats, ensuring she really does agree. “Give me a moment,” I say, motioning Cat to the hallway.
We step outside and shut the door. Richard, Elsa, and Savage join us. “I need her in a hotel with protection tonight,” I tell Savage.
Savage nods. “I’ll get a plan in place now in case court adjourns early.” His phone beeps and he grabs it, glances at a text message and then at us. “Royce has an insider who told him the DA just submitted for a search warrant for Martha and Reginald’s homes and offices.”
“They know they’re going to lose,” Cat says. “They’re trying to either connect Dana to the murder, via an accomplice, or make a new arrest before they look like fools.”
“In other words,” Richard says, “you didn’t get your confession, but you might have caught a killer.”
“Don’t tell Dana,” I say. “We do not want her warning Reginald.”
Savage looks at me. “You don’t think she’s afraid if he goes down, she goes down, do you?”
“No,” I say. “Do you know something we don’t know?”
“We searched his place,” he says. “We pulled random samples to look for DNA evidence. We didn’t find anything, but the police will do what we couldn’t do. They’ll tear his place apart.”
“That’s not an answer,” I say. “Do you know something I don’t?”
“No,” he says. “But you’re worried. I see it in your eyes.”
“There’s not an attorney on the planet that isn’t worried they’ve misjudged a client.”
Savage nods. “I’ll take care of the hotel arrangements.” He looks at Cat. “Page me when you’re ready to leave. I’ll be at the end of the hallway.” He walks away.
I take Cat’s arm and motion to the office we met in yesterday. We step inside and I shut the door. “Was she too damn worried about him considering the revelations on the stand or am I being paranoid?”
“I thought the same thing. She was too worried. For the first time since you started this trial, I’m worried she’s guilty.”
I rest my head against the door and breathe out. Cat is quickly in front of me, her hands on my waist. “We’re both being paranoid about your perfect record and our dislike of helping killers get away with murder. Let’s consider option number two: She loves him. The idea that he is guilty, that he used her for money, on top of her father’s death, makes her feel really alone. And once you have someone in your life that you love, the idea of losing them destroys you.”
I cup her head and pull her lips to mine. “Are you telling me you thought you were going to lose me over Debbie?”
“No. Not really.”
I pull back. “Not really?”
“I had fleeting moments that I felt those things. They were so very fleeting, but I think it’s natural in such a situation. The point isn’t about us, but rather that Dana’s afraid of losing everything. I get that because of my fresh feelings over Debbie. Let’s not decide Dana’s guilt, based on her confused, emotional state of mind. She might just really need what I did. For the man she loves to tell her he’s innocent.”
“You needed to hear me say it?”
“I didn’t think I did, but when I looked in your eyes and you assured me you were, I knew you were. It’s like I could breathe again. We’re denying Dana that chance and for good reason. We have to. I mean, if Reginald is guilty, for all we know he could turn dangerous and suicidal. I’m just saying, we believed in Dana. You believed in her and I don’t think you should stop now. That will affect how you defend her. Stand by your client and win with your client.”
I digest those words and they feel as right as everything with Cat always feels. This woman understands me in ways no other human ever has or could. She is truly my partner in this life, and she’s right. If Dana felt Reginald could be that for her, she’s going to resist losing him. “The questions is,” I say, “what will she do to protect him? She was ready to turn on him only days ago. She’s erratic and all over the board.”
“My mother stayed with my father even when he cheated. The fear of being alone is powerful.”
I cup her face. “That will never be us. You know that, right?”
“I know that, Reese Summer. We’re going to grow old together. We’re going to have babies together.”
I pull back and look at her. “Babies? You’re thinking about babies?”
“We’ve talked about it.”
“Yes,” I say. “We have. We should talk about it again.”
“You still want babies, right?”
I kiss her. “I want everything with you, Cat,” I assure her, but now she’s got me thinking. She’s been sick. She’s different right now. Did my wife just tell me she’s pregnant? Surely not. She wouldn’t tell me here and now, but if she is or if she’s just got the idea on her mind, I want her to know I’m all in.