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Exhausted from the ordeal, she stood as court was adjourned for the day. She brushed past observers leaving the courtroom as she moved up the aisle to the defendant’s table. Jesse and Hunter had their heads together as she approached. She stood back waiting for them to finish.
“Ah, here’s my girl now.” Hunter smiled as he reached out his hand.
“Careful, Hunter,” Jesse mumbled.
Emily snatched her hand back. Jesse was right, tomorrow she would take the stand for the district attorney and she knew what was coming. Jesse had warned her, and would prepare her tonight for the next day’s grueling session in court. By the end of tomorrow, her reputation in Galveston would be in shreds.
The three left the courthouse and walked to the hotel. After dropping off their notes, they headed to the café a couple of blocks further down.
Once they were settled in their seats, Emily picked up the menu and regarded him over the top of it. “Hunter, I want to interview some of the witnesses Jeremy was working on.”
“No.”
She sighed and put the menu down. “Why not? After tomorrow I won’t have to be in the courtroom. Once the district attorney finishes up, Jesse needs to have those witnesses ready to testify.”
“She’s right, you know,” Jesse said.
Hunter’s lips tightened and he shook his head. “That could be dangerous. We don’t know what these witnesses said, and you both seem to forget that we’re dealing with a murderer here. It’s quite possible one of the people Jeremy talked to is the man who should be sitting where I am in the defendant’s seat.”
“Let me at least talk to Mr. Sanders, Louis’s partner. He’s harmless enough, and he might have an idea who in their business might be angry enough about losing money to murder Louis.”
“Have you seen him since the reading of the will?”
“No. He was so relieved when he left there, I can only assume he thought Louis might have left his half of the business to me and that would cause him a lot of trouble. I still don’t understand how they operated the whole thing, only that it brought in a lot of money.”
“What I can’t understand,” Hunter said, “is how Sanders is still in business. With all the problems the market has had recently, I would think the clients would be clamoring for their money.”
Emily leaned forward. “That’s why I want to talk to him. Since he’s been subpoenaed by the prosecution, I can only surmise that is why he’s still in business and not closing it all up and leaving town.”
“It will only be a matter of time before he is arrested,” Jesse said.
Hunter waved his hand in the air, attracting the waitress’s attention. “Right now I want to cease talk of the trial and just enjoy dinner. I’m tired, hungry, and feeling grouchy.”
“You’re right, we need a break.” Jesse smiled as the middle-aged woman approached their table, pad and pencil in hand.
“Let’s not go in just yet.” Hunter pushed a loose curl behind Emily’s ear.
They stood in front of the hotel. After the fire, Hunter had insisted she move into their hotel. He’d become very protective and she wasn’t all that sure she was comfortable with his overzealous attention.
Almost since the day she’d met him, she knew there was something special about Hunter. So many times she’d wished she had met him before her parents had died. They would have loved him, and he would have been the one to step in after their death, instead of Louis.
But that was not to be, so wishing made no difference. After the disaster of her life with Louis, and his spiteful last will and testament, she no longer trusted anyone. As appealing as it had been to imagine a man as strong and loving as Hunter taking care of her, that thought now brought more fear than happiness.
She had to learn to stand on her own two feet and provide a living for herself. No more depending on a man to keep a roof over her head and food on her table.
But she would be a fool to deny how much she cared for him. Was it love?
“I could use a walk to clear my head.” Hunter took her hand in his as they strolled along.
“I don’t think Jesse would be too happy to see us holding hands in public.” Emily attempted to remove her hand from his.
“Honey, after tomorrow, it won’t make a bit of difference.”
“I know.” Her stomach knotted once again.
“I hate that you’re going to have to go through that.”
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