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I paced for another twenty minutes before the cop finally walked over and unlocked the cell. He held his hand out for me to exit, and we walked to his desk again.
“Number?”
I rattled off Autumn’s cell, and he handed me the receiver.
It rang once.
Come on. Come on…not voicemail again.
I was relieved when it didn’t go directly to a recording after the first ring like it had last night.
It rang a second time.
Pick up, Autumn. Pick up.
Nothing. My heart raced as the third ring came.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Mid-fourth ring, it cut to the same voicemail. I closed my eyes as I listened to her voice and then cleared my throat.
“Autumn…I’m so sorry. I just need to know you’re okay. If you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine. Please just answer so I know you’re okay.”
The cop held his hand out and put the old phone receiver back on its base.
“If you’re calling the redhead,” he said, “she was physically fine. Said she just fell on her ass when you and the victim were tussling. My partner took her statement at the scene after we put you in the squad car.”
“He’s not a fucking victim. He’s a rapist.”
“Maybe so. But he’s got a fractured eye socket, broken nose, and a concussion. So today he’s the victim. And he’s your victim. If what you claim is true, you should know better than anyone that taking things into your hands isn’t the right way to go.”
I looked at the cop’s finger. He had a wedding band on. So I looked straight into his eyes. “Is that how you’d handle it if you stumbled onto the guy who raped your wife and got away with it?”
The cop’s face softened. “We leave for arraignment in an hour. You look like shit. I’ll take you to the men’s room and let you wash up.”
Two hours later, I was sitting in the private hall on the side of the courtroom, the place they parked the criminals waiting for their names to be called. I’d denied court-appointed counsel in favor of representing myself at the hearing.
“Decker!”
I stood. The minute I stepped through the courtroom door, I scanned for Autumn. I found her sitting in the first row, with a very angry-looking man beside her.
She brought her father.
Fuck.
Her dad stepped forward to the small wooden door that separated the players from the spectators. “Gerald Wilde for the defendant, your honor.”
My first reaction was to say thanks, but no thanks. This was my field, and I knew how to play the game better than most. But I hesitated because it was her father. And I was glad I had once the judge spoke again.
“Gerry…shouldn’t you be on your honeymoon?”
Her father’s eyes flashed to me before looking at the judge. “Had to push it back a day.”
I glanced back at Autumn a few times. She finally made eye contact, but quickly looked away.
The hearing was pretty standard, and Autumn’s father did a good job. Bail was set at ten grand, which wasn’t a problem. After the judge banged his gavel, Autumn’s father grumbled at me. “I’m not putting up your bail. I’m assuming you can cover it?”
“Yes, sir. Could I trouble you to make a call to someone at my firm who can handle it from here?”
He closed his briefcase and lifted it. “I don’t think that’s necessary. Someone from your firm is already here.”
“They are?”
“Apparently one of the court officers in this building used to be a paralegal in your office. She saw your name on the docket and made a call for you. If I’d have known, I wouldn’t have had to postpone leaving for my honeymoon.”
“I’m sorry about that, sir.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry about the mess I caused on your wedding day. I just…I lost it seeing that guy even look at Autumn after what he did.”
Autumn’s father bowed his head. He put one hand on my shoulder and patted it twice. “Good luck.”
As the court officer led me out of the courtroom, I glanced around to see if Trent or Juliette was inside. I’d been so focused on Autumn, I hadn’t even noticed if anyone else was here.
But sure enough, someone was. Someone from my firm, alright.
Icy daggers shot at me from the last row in the courtroom. I shut my eyes and blew out a jagged breath.
Just when I thought the last twenty-four hours couldn’t get any worse.
God, was I wrong.
Because Blake Dickson was currently glaring at me.
***
It took until late afternoon to get processed out. After I collected my personal belongings from the cashier and signed the bail paperwork, I walked out onto the courtroom steps and took a deep breath. My phone must’ve cracked during the altercation, and I wasn’t sure if it was dead from not being charged or just dead altogether. I’d hoped Autumn would be waiting for me, but there was no sign of her. Though leaning against one of the tall pillars nearby, someone was definitely waiting to speak to me.
