Colton's Spring

Chapter 4

"Of course I oppose bail, your honour," Catriona said. "The defendant is a member of law enforcement."

"But not a flight risk," Chantale argued. "He plans to mount a vigorous defence."

"He does not," Colton grumbled.

She kicked his instep.

"Did your client say something?"

"Oh, your honour, he's just saying he's looking forward to defending himself against these charges."

"Serious charges," the judge pointed out, rather unnecessarily, as far as Colton was concerned. "But he deserves bail. I'm setting it high, I want an ankle monitor and I'm ordering him to stay away from the victim and her family."

As if he would ever approach her, Colton thought sarcastically. He never wanted to see her again. Even that would be too soon.

"We agree to all of those conditions, judge," Colton heard Chantale say.

"Fine, bail is set at one hundred thousand."

Colton nearly laughed out loud.

"It will be posted within the hour."

Colton felt a flash of rage. Rage followed by resignation.

The judge stood and everyone else did as well. Colton turned to Chantale. "You shouldn't be posting my bail."

She gave him a guileless look. "Oh, I won't be." Before he could say anything else, she was leaving out the front door and he was being escorted out the back.

An hour later, he was sitting in her car being driven home.

"What did you mean when you said that you weren't going to be the one posting my bail? If not you, then who?"

"Someone who wishes to remain anonymous," Chantale said simply. "Someone who stepped forward this morning upon hearing of your arrest. Since they were able to figure out I was the counsel of record, they approached me."

"Which is another thing we need to talk about," he said.

She pulled a sharp turn into Rocko's parking lot. "I'm hungry," she announced. Then, not even waiting for him, she alighted the car and headed into the diner. Colton only rolled his eyes. Well, she was going to have to pay because he didn't even have his wallet.

Sarabeth was there to greet him. "Didn't know you were seeing Chantale again," she said sarcastically. "Isn't she married?"

"Yes," he replied, trying not to notice the outright hostility. "But, for today, she's my lawyer."

"Thought she was better than that," Sarabeth said bitingly.

"So did I," Colton said. "I'm about to fire her, if that makes you feel any better."

Sarabeth's mouth twisted. "I don't think anything but you serving jail time will make me happy."

So this was how it was going to be, he thought. He would just be better off holing up in his condo and waiting for whatever fate awaited him. He slid into the booth and watched as a reluctant Sarabeth brought him his usual black coffee. As a cop, he often came in here with Dorrie or Seth and he had even brought a woman in here a time or two. Never again, he realized. He thanked Sarabeth for the coffee and turned back to Chantale to find her turning...green? He barely had time to register the look before she ran from the booth towards the bathroom.