“Yeah.”
“Okay. But just having the DA ask you questions, what does that do?”
“Because then I can cross-examine.” Sherri explains.
“And lead them to the information you actually want everyone to know.”
“Precisely,” Sherri nods.
“Let the jury know he’d rather go to prison than let me go through that, how Darren’s the arresting officer, and how he has a motive to set Zane up.” Tate tells me.
“What motive?”
“That I’m in love with Zane, that I’ve been since I met him, that Darren most likely knew that.”
Slowly I nod my head as I look at her. “He’s not gonna like that.”
“He’ll live.”
“Why do I feel like I’m not gonna like it what’s next?”
“Cause you won’t,” Zeke scoffs.
“If I make Darren mad enough, he’ll follow me.”
“No.” I shake my head quickly. “No. Not happening. Z will kill me.”
“Not if you’re the one who pulls him off.”
“What?”
“After I testify, I’m sure Darren will be mad. We won’t have to do anything more. He’ll follow me, I’ll meet with Liz —” she stops as Zeke shakes his head no. “No, someone else for dinner or something. Walk outside to make a phone call,” she air quotes phone call, “and I’m positive that’s all it’ll take.”
“You sure?” Zeke asks.
“Yeah,” I mumble as I look back up at them.
“He’s been unhinged since she left. He shot at me the other night and has come at me a couple other times because I knew you guys.”
“Yeah. You and Collins need to be waiting in the diner.”
I pause as she mentions him.
“We can trust him.” She says
“How can you be so sure?” Zeke asks for me. “I barely trust Eli.”
She laughs, nodding again. “He stuck up for me a few times from Darren. Maybe the only other person besides Eli who said anything.” She laughs, looking down. “And I know we can trust Eli.”
“Thanks, Tate.”
“How can you be so sure?” Zeke snaps back.
“Who do you think told Zane I was getting married and tried to get him to talk me out of it?” She looks at me for the first time, acknowledging what I did. “Thank you for that.”
“What?” Zeke snaps now.
“He told me if I ever left him, Zane would never see the light of day again.” She pauses, looking down. “That’s why we have to get him out. If Darren attacks me in addition to the hospital records I kept. They have to show that he’s violent enough. And has enough motive to pin it on Zane. Plus, Stu had stood up for me right before all of this.” She looks down.
