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Ella leaned into her partner. ‘He can't get away with this, Mia. Not after everything.’
Ripley nodded, placing a reassuring hand on Ella's shoulder. ‘Look, he's under surveillance, and he's got a tag. This gives us a window. We need more evidence, something irrefutable.’
'Come on. Do you really think Logan is going to hang around? He'll disappear before nightfall.'
‘All right,’ the judge's voice was stern but tired. ‘Given the discussions and decisions made today, I declare this court adjourned until further notice. We will reconvene once the trial date is set. Mr. Pindell, you will follow the officers to your designated housing. I expect all parties to be prepared when we next meet.’
With that, the judge gaveled, signaling the end of the session.
The spectators began to rise, the sound of murmurs and shuffled footsteps filling the air. The legal team began gathering their papers, and a gaggle of officers began escorting Logan out of the room.
Ella's breath felt short, her vision slightly blurred as if she were underwater. Every part of her ached to take action, to take justice into her own hands, but she knew she needed to stay composed, especially now.
As the courtroom emptied, Mia approached, her face lined with determination. ‘This isn't the end, Ella. Logan may have won this battle, but the war isn't over.’ Ella blinked back tears of frustration. ‘I thought putting him behind bars would bring closure. But now, it feels like it's all unraveling.’ ‘We've faced impossible odds before,’ Mia reminded her. ‘He's tagged, and we'll keep an eye on him. But we need something more, something solid that can't be dismissed or twisted.’
Ella looked down, rubbing the bridge of her nose. ‘I can't believe he got bail. And that someone posted it immediately.’
Mia's eyes darkened. ‘That’s the Diamonds' for you. But we have allies too. We need to regroup, strategize.’
‘They know about the recording, Mia. That was our trump card.’
‘Then we find a new one,’ Mia stated firmly. ‘We've always been two steps ahead. We just need to think.’
As the courtroom began to empty, Logan Nash, clad in his orange jumpsuit, was slowly ushered towards the exit. But instead of moving with urgency, Logan moved deliberately, letting each step linger as if he were savoring a moment of triumph.
Just as he reached the doors, he paused and turned to look directly at Ella. His icy blue eyes met hers, filled with malevolence and amusement. His lips slowly curled into a smug, sinister smile, relishing the evident anguish on her face. It was a silent taunt, a wordless mockery meant solely for her.
The weight of regret pressed heavily on her chest, limiting the use of her lungs for a few painful breaths. She remembered the moment in Logan's warehouse, with her finger tensed on the trigger. It would have been so easy to pull it, to end the man who had caused her and so many others immeasurable pain.
Now, seeing his arrogance and apparent invincibility in the face of justice, she wished she’d have killed him when she had the chance.
CHAPTER TWO
‘We can’t stay here, Ben.’
Ella's apartment was dimly lit, the soft hue from the streetlights streaming in through the gaps in the blinds. The living room was a reflection of her – organized chaos. Walls covered with sticky notes, photos, and scribbles of Logan Nash and the connections she'd made. A corkboard with strings connecting various pieces of what might be evidence of the Red Diamonds' operations dominated one corner.
Ben stood silently, observing the board as though it was an alien relic. He ran a hand through his messy brown hair, a furrow of concern appearing on his forehead. He turned to Ella, who sat on the sofa, her eyes lost in the blandness of the walls – newly painted by her landlord.
‘Ella...I can't pretend to know how deep this goes for you,’ he began, ‘But you have to trust the system. If he's guilty, they'll get him.’
‘It's not that simple, Ben. The system? It's flawed. It's manipulated by people like Logan.’
Ben moved closer, sitting down beside her. ‘But you've got evidence, right? All of this,’ he gestured to the board, ‘It'll put him away.’
Ella shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. ‘Most of it won't hold up in court. I don’t have solid proof that he killed my father unless he admits it. And even if I did, I can't present it without revealing how I got it.’
Ben blinked, confusion evident in his eyes. ‘What do you mean?’
She hesitated, weighing whether to let him in on her secrets. Ella had met around eight months ago, and after a few ups and downs – one of which involved them facing down Ella’s nemesis together – they’d emerged stronger on the other side. Ella trusted the man with her life.
‘Some of the ways I found out about Logan, about who he really is... they weren't exactly legal.’
His eyebrows raised. ‘You mean, you...’
Ella nodded, her face a mix of determination and regret. ‘I had to, Ben. I couldn’t wait for thesystemto give me answers.’
Ben exhaled. ‘What exactly did you do?’
