Black Tie Event

Chapter Thirty Four

"Look," I exhaled, putting a hand on each of Grace's shoulders. "I need you to do me a favor."

She cocked her head. "So I hear."

"No, listen. I need you to go in there and watch the trial. Pay attention, so you can tell me what's happening. I'm going to need updates on how the trial is proceeding."

"I don't even know what this case is about."

"You listen to the ADA's opening. She'll outline the charges as well as the evidence that's going to be presented, and who she's going to call. If you listen, you'll get it. I have to go."

"Where are you going?"

"To find our witness. I'll be back before the trial ends."

She shook her head and took a deep breath. "Okay," she finally said, agreeing to take whatever leap of faith.

"Thank you," I breathed. "Thank you."

***

I took off breaking every road law in place, envisioning an imaginary roster of the places I would check. I could barely think straight, let alone come up with places Lucy may or may not have been. I couldn't think of anywhere except home. I decided that if she wasn't there, maybe I'd hit up Bayridge Convenience.

I pulled up in front of Shaw's house, not having ever pictured myself back in that driveway. There were no formalities to go through, no protocol to consider, as with Collin had gone all the security measures for getting into the home. I took off running for the front door, knowing that any time lost was only hurting us.

I knocked a hundred and fifty times on the door for it to be opened moments later by a very distressed looking Anneliese.

"Where's Lucy?" was the first thing out of my mouth.

"Inside," she said deflatedly, and I couldn't tell if I was relieved or upset by it.

"She does know she has to testify?"

"Yes, she knows. But she says she doesn't want to."

I just shut my eyes briefly before barreling past her through the door, searching all over the house  like I was serving a search warrant, until my eyes fell on her sitting on the living room couch, staring despondently into space.

"Luce," I said, trying to find some compassion. "What happened?"

"I can't do it," she whispered, hardly even looking at me. "I can't go."

"Lucy, they're waiting for you," I tried to urge. "You're on the prosecution's roster. She can't make the case without you."

"I can't look at them," she argued, tears beginning to fall down the sides her face. They looked like runoff rain. "They're all going to be there. Aren't they?"

"Yes, they are," I admitted, not bothering to sugar coat the situation. "The four of them will be sitting there at a table towards the front with their lawyer. But they're sitting in a court of law. If they so much as try to speak to you, they'll be held in contempt. They're powerless, Lucy."

"They're not powerless," she argued. "They had the power to do this to me."

"They had the power. We're taking it away. And the only way you can get your power back is by sending them to prison where they belong for what they did to you. Your testimony will put them there. It'll give you your life back."

"I'll never get my life back," she said quietly. "Even when they're gone, they'll still be here. They'll be in my head. Every time I close my eyes, I'm back there. I'll lay awake and when I can finally get to sleep, I'm back there. I can never forget what they did, and them being in prison can't change it."