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bsp; “And I hate what you’re going through.” She slashed her hand through the air. “Obviously, someone out there wanted Louis dead.” Coming to a complete stop, she tugged on Hunter’s fingers. “Please give me the list of witnesses Jeremy was going to speak to.”
Hunter pressed his index finger and thumb against the bridge of his nose. Once more his silky locks lay against his forehead, making her hand itch to smooth the strands back.
He studied her face, both of them ignoring the people who cast them dirty looks when they had to scoot around them to pass by. “Don’t you understand I want to keep you safe? That a murderer is out there who could be thinking about killing you?”
She blanched at his words. That likelihood had flitted through her mind once or twice, but hearing it spoken aloud made it seem all the more real. Since they had no idea who had actually killed Louis, they also had no motive. Oh, they had plenty of guesses and ideas, most likely someone who had been scammed by the business, but no strong suspect. Which could, of course, be why the district attorney had been so focused on Hunter from the very beginning.
“Millie is on the list. It certainly would do no harm to find out what the district attorney expects her to say. I can at least talk to her. There would be nothing unusual about me going to her shop if you’re so sure I’m being watched.”
When he hesitated, and before he could speak, she added, “I want to help, Hunter. I need to do something besides sit on the sidelines and watch you convicted for something you didn’t do. And it will help Jesse. He’s spending all day in court, and then hours afterward talking to witnesses. I can lighten his load.”
Hunter’s lips tightened. “I hate how helpless I feel. And I hate that Jesse is doing all this extra work because of the person I trusted to do the investigation. I should have known better.”
“Jeremy was your friend. You had trusted him before.”
He continued walking, a shroud of darkness seeming to cover them both. It no doubt hurt Hunter to not only lose the interviews and notes that burned up with Jeremy, but also to have a friend die so senselessly. How sad both her and Hunter’s lives had been the last several months.
Emily shook herself, refusing to give way to self-pity. It would serve no purpose and felt too much like giving up. She would survive this and go on. It was important to look at the bright side. She no longer had to worry about Louis, his moods, his demands, and his fists. In that way her life was already better.
And losing everything? It was almost freeing. With nothing to keep her here, once the trial was over and Hunter acquitted—please, God—they would leave Galveston far behind. Where she and Hunter would go from here was yet undecided. She only knew she wanted this man by her side. She might even love him already. But to love him completely, she had to trust, and that was one area where she might always hold back.
Hunter turned them to head back toward the hotel. “It’s getting late. You need your sleep.” He smiled at her, making her heart beat just a little bit faster.
Yes, this was the man she wanted.
Chapter 22
“Just answer yes or no to all the District Attorney’s questions. Don’t embellish, that will only get you into trouble.”
Emily nodded as Jesse once more prepared her for the grueling encounter with the district attorney. They stood at the back of the courtroom, waiting for the trial to resume. Mr. Sanders had just testified and she was next on the list.
Observers packed the room, word having spread that something juicy would be happening today.
Emily looked the area over. Women she had thought were friends eyed her speculatively, anxious to hear her testimony. Heads together, they whispered to each other, almost drooling as they waited for her fall from grace. Disgusted, she turned from them and made her way up the aisle to her seat in the front row behind the defendant’s table.
The State had subpoenaed her to testify as a hostile witness for the prosecution. Hostile was exactly how she felt. As well as terrified. The district attorney would use her to lay the foundation for his contention that Hunter had killed Louis to free her so they could be together. There would be no good ending to this. Her reputation would be in shreds, and the district attorney would put into the jurors’ minds that she was an adulteress and Hunter a murderer.
Jesse hoped to diminish the impact of her testimony by asking about Louis’s business practices and the beatings she had endured at her husband’s hands. As she waited for court to begin, she fought the urge to race outside and throw up. Once again she wiped her sweaty palms on her handkerchief and took a deep breath as they waited for the session to start.
“All rise. Court is in session, the Honorable Marcus Stenger presiding.”
Within minutes they were all seated in their respective spots. Emily fought the dots that danced in front of her eyes as her name was called. The last thing she wanted to do was faint.
Here it goes. She stood on shaky legs, stiffened her shoulders, and walked to the witness box. Taking her seat, she looked out at the many eyes staring at her. She tamped down the urge to run shrieking from the courtroom.
“Good morning, Mrs. Smith.” The district attorney preened as he sauntered toward her.
She nodded, her mouth dry.
“Please state your name for the court record.”
“Mrs. Emily Smith.”
The district attorney smirked. “Actually, it’s Mrs. Louis Smith, correct?”
She raised her chin. “Not at all. My first name is not Louis.”
Titters and nods of approval swept the courtroom. The judge banged his gavel.
