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They were all panting like crazy. She clung to Cooper. Zane was pressed hard to her back. Double-penetration sex rocked. She wished this amazing relationship would continue but was very aware that her two weeks were up. They hadn’t spoken about her pending trial much or at all in the past several days. They’d brought it up once at the saloon after-hours, but she’d changed the subject. She hadn’t wanted to plan for something that might not come true.
Abby was glad they’d had this special evening together. And she would do her best not to cry buckets if she never saw them again after tomorrow’s court appearance. She most certainly didn’t want to initiate an uncomfortable conversation right now while feeling so good. Especially not if they were ready to end what she considered the most exquisite of times together.
Besides, she needed to turn her attention to her future and the coming court proceedings. Her focus on the trial wasn’t without a boatload of fear.
What if they found her guilty? What if she ended up in prison?
What if the two men she’d fallen in love with abandoned her? Or worst of all, what if they didn’t love her in the same way she loved them?
* * * *
The sturdy bailiff walked in front of the judge’s high desk and said in a loud, booming voice, “The court will now come to order. All rise for the Honorable Benjamin J. Warren.”
Cooper rose as did all the people around him in the court gallery. The low, cluttered chaos of everyone standing up at once in the courtroom was a soothing sound. There were many things he missed about being in a court of law. This was one of them, the pregnant pause of waiting for the judge to arrive right before the action began.
He took the opportunity of the interruption to glance over at Abigail. She stood next to her public defender. He then peered over his shoulder, checking the double-door entrance to the court for any late stragglers. He and Zane were waiting for word from Clay.
His eleventh-hour early-morning message had assured Cooper that a piece of compelling information was on its way to them that should enlighten them about this whole case and best of all keep Abigail from being sent to jail.
The man bringing this welcome document was a lawyer Cooper had never met but knew of by reputation. He secretly cheered this man as an addition to their cause. He was poised to be of further help in the case, if needed. Cooper figured his presence couldn’t hurt. But truthfully, he just wanted this whole foolish exercise to be over.
Abigail deserved better. He planned to see that she got it.
The judge entered, climbed the few stairs to his perch, and sat down. “You may all be seated.” He twisted in his seat and settled in, staring at the papers on his desk as lots of whispering ensued within the court.
On his right, Zane sat tall in his seat, straining his neck as he looked in Abigail’s direction. He was worried about what would transpire today, too.
Cooper had driven to the Miser Judicial Building this morning with an unusually quiet Zane riding in his passenger seat. Earlier in the morning, Zane had loaned Abby his car to make the trip alone. They all agreed it was best for them to arrive separately.
The two of them had joked about making sure to have a formal note of permission written, signed, and notarized handy for overzealous lawmen. They decided the permission slip should be signed in blood, laminated, and put inside the glove compartment so that no one could accuse her of grand theft auto again.
After Abigail had left this morning, they discussed Zane’s bombshell from over a week ago. Having Zane subpoenaed by the prosecution and then promptly calling Clay for information had stunned him back then, but he’d understood Zane’s zeal to take action.
He’d pleaded with Cooper not to tell Abigail the details of his call with Clay or the annoying subpoena that had prompted it. So during the course of the week, neither of them had mentioned it. First so as not to beat her down further. Then later because they didn’t want her to worry. Zane’s testimony from their first meeting wasn’t going to help the prosecution’s case regarding her grand theft auto charge. Plus, she had enough on her mind.
Cooper glanced over at Abigail again, seated behind the defense table. She was worried enough about being in court for today’s trial. Although she hadn’t said anything to them either last night or early this morning, he could see it in the stiffness of her posture.
