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“Not happening.” Of course, that image had been in Eric’s head from the moment Megan Lunceford had entered the courtroom. “Keep your head in the game or I will knock it off your shoulders.”
Ethel stopped tapping and stared at Megan. “Mrs. Lunceford, would you have an attorney with you today if you had had the funds to hire one?”
Megan nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Good to know.” Ethel sat back in her chair. “This court will assign you an attorney to review your case.”
“But, Your Honor?” Cam’s frustration was evident in every syllable.
Ethel’s face was stern. “No buts, Mr. Strange. Mrs. Lunceford, do you accept the offer of this court for an attorney to be assigned to you?”
“Thank you, Your Honor. I do accept.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “Absolutely, I accept. I must keep my mother’s home. She left it to me.”
Ethel looked back down to the papers on her desk. “Back taxes. Lots of back taxes. You’re in quite a fix, young lady.”
“Your Honor, Mrs. Lunceford brought the papers, but what about the computer that she was ordered to bring?” Cameron asked. God, Cam was one hell of an attorney. “Where is that?”
The stately woman held up her hand to silence him. “He’s right, Mrs. Lunceford. You are supposed to have a computer here with you today.”
That computer was the key to everything. They had to have it.
Megan nodded. “Your Honor, I brought it, but it is quite heavy. I’m not sure why you need it. I got the computer, a monitor, and a modem from a pawn shop less than a year ago to help me look for work. A complete waste of money since the thing only turned on a couple of times. The computer is in my car out front. If I could get some help, I’ll bring it in.”
“Objection,” Cam snapped.
“Sustained. Mrs. Lunceford, please keep your answers short or Mr. Strange might bust a blood vessel.”
There were several chuckles from the gallery.
“Phoebe Blue, come up here.” Ethel waved her forward. Phoebe and her brothers Corey and Shane were local. Phoebe was an attorney, Corey was a US Marshal, and Shane was…well, that was a long, sad story.
Phoebe was all business. She’d worked her way through law school on her own. Her hair, which was quite long but rarely down, was up in a bun. She walked to the judge’s bench. “Yes, Your Honor.”
“Counselor, let me introduce you to your newest client, Megan Lunceford.”
“I’d be happy to help, ma’am, but my caseload is full.” Phoebe was a friend of theirs. She clearly didn’t want to be on a case that opposed TBK.
“It just got even fuller, counselor. Bailiff, please give these to Mrs. Lunceford’s attorney.” Ethel handed back all the papers Megan had brought to the court. “You may submit them to the court as exhibits when we come back to hear opening arguments next Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.”
The bailiff took the files and gave them to Phoebe. Megan’s eyes were wide as saucers in apparent shock.
“Court is adjourned.” Ethel pounded her gavel on the wood.
“All rise,” the bailiff said.
As Eric stood, he looked over again at Megan and had the oddest feeling wash over him. Call it a premonition, an impression, or just a silly hunch, but something about her reached into him, and he knew everything in his life was about to be changed by her. How or what? He wasn’t sure, but as the court cleared, he felt it into the very core of his being.
Chapter Two
Scott Knight heard a distant crash of thunder outside the courtroom. The last thing Destiny needed was another downpour after the most recent one. There were still so many roads washed out in the area that digging out would continue for a few more weeks. But the gray day outside wasn’t what was really at the front of his mind. The blonde beauty he and his brother were trying to bring down was at the top of his thoughts. Megan Lunceford.
Megan and Phoebe walked to the far corner of the courtroom.
Vicky and Felix came up from the back of the gallery together.
Felix nodded and Vicky asked in a hushed tone, “Another week? I guess this trip was a waste? How are you doing, guys?”
“We’re good,” Eric whispered.
