Conception: Callie Douglas - Book Six

Chapter Nineteen

The sun shone as we walked into the courthouse. Gabe was holding my hand and, despite the level of panic I felt at being out of my safety zone, I appeared calm and pulled together. "It's nice to see you", said Blake as we entered the courtroom. "You look good. Your bruise is gone."

"That's because I'm wearing a thick layer of foundation."

"Oh. How are you feeling?" Blake kissed my cheek and gave me a quick hug.

"Pretty good, considering."

He looked at my face searchingly, then must have been appeased. He turned to Gabe. "I'll call you to the stand early in case you want to leave." He turned to me. "I'll submit your reports as evidence. I don't think I'll have to call you to the stand."

"Thank you", I said feelingly. I didn't want to be called up and have everyone look at me.

"All stand", said the bailiff, and the judge came in the room. It was the same judge who had approved the restraining order for Adolf. He looked at me and smiled. "It's nice to see you in the courtroom, Dr. Douglas", he said.

"It's nice to be here, Your Honor." I sat down again as the judge turned to business.

The sun was still strong when Blake, Gabe and I left the building. As I jumped over a puddle of melting snow, I thought about how happy I was to be alive. I took a deep breath of the spring air, lifted Gabe's and my joined hands and kissed his fingers. He flashed his dimples at me, then let go of my hand and slung his arm over my shoulder.

"I'm so glad that bail for Dweazel was denied", I said.

"It would have been difficult for Dweazel to obtain bail with the amount of evidence against him", said Blake. "It's piling up and, now that I'm starting to prepare our case, the evidence is mounting even higher. The lead on the old pastor was a good one, and Dweazel's associates are proving to be valuable character references. They're telling stories of many times when Dweazel has circumvented the system, even by bribing witnesses."

"That's terrible."

"Callie", I heard as we walked into the parking lot. "I've come to get you. It's time to join your family." I turned and saw Adolf, standing there with a gun in his hand. "Did you miss me?" he asked as I my body started to tremble in fear.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

"Fate. We were meant to be together. Are you ready to join your brothers and sisters now?"

"My brothers live in Vermont and I'll be seeing them tomorrow." I stepped to the side, away from Gabe, as he moved to capture Adolf.

"Not your biological brothers. I mean your adopted brothers. The other members of the Reid family." Adolf moved his gun from being sighted on me and trained the gun on Gabe. "You seem to like this monkey. He's not worth it." And with that he shot Gabe in the leg. Blake started to scream for help as Gabe's leg went out from him and he collapsed onto the ground. Frozen with horror, I was easy pickings for Adolf as he stepped forward and grabbed me, dragging me towards him.

Feeling his grubby hands on me released me from my panicked terror. I began to fight. I began to fight with all the pent-up pain and upset from the last week. I began to fight for the person I had been, and for the anxious person he had made me. And most of all, I began to fight for Gabe. To be able to go to him, to doctor him until the paramedics arrive, to save him like he'd saved me.

Adolf reared back and tried to hit me, but the fighting I had done with Gabe during the week had paid off. I feinted to the left and Adolf lost his balance when he didn't make contact. He stepped closer towards Gabe as he regained his footing, and Gabe, as quick as a striking snake, reached out and wrapped his hands around Adolf's legs and pulled. Adolf came crashing to the ground. Gabe rolled on top of him and began to punch him in the face, in the chest, anywhere he could reach. They rolled around on the ground together, Adolf doing his best to protect himself and fight back, his best not being good enough. Gabe sat on top of him and pounded Adolf into submission. Then, when all was said and done, Gabe rolled Adolf over onto his stomach, and pulled his hands behind his back. The growing circle of onlookers clapped as one of the responding police officers handed Gabe his cuffs.