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Finn looks over and sniffles again, wiping at a stray tear. “Yes. He asked to use my phone. Then I took a look at his truck. I’m a mechanic, see? So, I thought I could help him and he wouldn’t need the tow.”
“Out of the kindness of your heart, you were helping a stranger?”
“A stranger I thought was a good guy. I don’t think I can ever offer anyone help again, because I think they’ll take me too.” Fuck, that stings.
The prosecutor hums. “And what happened after you were in his custody?”
“He made me drive around. We stole cars so we wouldn’t have to use my bank cards or get seen in stores to fuel up. When he saw that turn off for the house we were in, he made me drive down that dirt lane, hoping to find a cabin or something. We found the house and he broke in. He handcuffed me to the bed and only let me out to use the restroom.” He pulls the sleeves of his suit back and shows the scars on his wrist. I hiss, even though the last time we used the handcuffs was for fun. “I kept trying to get loose, but the cuffs were tight and he didn’t care when I shouted. He even …” he breaks off, dropping his head as he starts to cry in earnest.
“It’s okay,” the lawyer says, looking at the jury, who are riveted by Finn’s testimony. I look at Shane and his face is set, but I can tell he’s angry. He and Finn didn’t talk about any of this.
From what I understand, Finn was supposed to get on the stand and talk about the kidnapping, but not about being cuffed. What is he doing?
After he gets his bearings, Finn raises his head and says, “He kept me cuffed to the bed a few times long enough that I soiled myself.” I clamp my eyes shut. Why can’t I shut off what I feel for him? Why does this hurt so bad?
The jury gasps and I know I’ve lost them, even more so than when they found out I killed a corrections officer. Seeing how delicate and soft Finn looks, it’s abhorrent that I treated him that way, even if it’s mostly a lie.
The prosecutor sighs, walking back to the table. “Is it true he threatened you?”
“Yes. Every day. He constantly told me that if I tried to get away, he would kill me. And if I succeeded and told the cops where he was, he would make sure that his biker friends would kill me and everyone I love. And I believed him. He already escaped prison after he killed a guard. I was too afraid to question it.”
“Objection!” Shane shouts and I’m thankful for that. I can’t take more of Finn talking. I can’t take more of the lies he’s telling. They’re not outright lies, but after we struck our deal—the deal that was his idea—I treated him well. Does that erase the bullshit before, though? Probably not. “Hearsay. We don’t know if that’s true or not.”
“Overruled,” the judge says. “The witness is speaking of his own personal experience, not the experience of a third party.” The judge turns to Finn, dismissing Shane and his objection.
He flops back in the chair with a defeated look on his face.
The prosecutor shoots me a hard look then softens it when she looks at Finn. “I’m so sorry this happened. What can you tell us about your time with Mr. James?”
“He scared me. Every day. I didn’t think he would let me go. He told me he would, but I didn’t trust his word. I’m thankful the tip was called in. I feel like I would have been killed and dumped in those woods any day. He told me that he is the world’s evil.”
My heart cracks damn near in half. He didn’t trust me? He told me he did. He said he loved me. He told me he would miss me when I left. What happened between then and now? Who made him hate me? And using my words against me after I told him something I never told anyone before?
A commotion behind me has me turning to see Prez and Zeke leaving, but not before Zeke shouts, “Better watch your back, motherfucker!” Finn’s face pales and I both want to throttle him for adding another nail to my coffin and protect him from my brother’s. This won’t end well for him.
Pulling on Shane’s sleeve, I whisper quickly, “Tell Zeke not to touch him.”
Shane’s eyes bore into me. “What? He’s fucking tanking you.”
“Just tell him,” I growl.
With a huff, Shane nods and we tune back into the testimony.
Putting a gentle hand on Finn’s, the prosecutor asks, “For the jury, can you point to the person that kidnapped you and held you against your will for over three weeks?”
Taking a deep breath, Finn raises his hand and points to me. “It was him. Raxel James.”
A sense of déjà vu hits me, thinking this is the way my last trial went—someone pointing me out for a crime I was guilty of. Only this time, I didn’t think it would come from the only person I’ve ever been in love with.
The prosecutor concludes her questions, looking smugly at Shane, like she just won the trial.
Shane stands, taking his turn to question Finn.
Stepping up to the witness stand, Shane asks, “Mr. Coombs, is it true that you had more than one opportunity to run?”
“No. The one time I tried I was tackled to the ground. Mr. James yelled in my face, telling me he would kill me if I tried to run again. When I said for him to go ahead and kill me, he wrapped his hand around my throat and squeezed until I blacked out. I woke up, handcuffed to the bed again. After that, he didn’t let me loose again without being too close for me to try again.”
Shane turns to me, a look of disbelief on his face that I’m sure matches my own. That never happened. Yes, he tried to run, but I didn’t choke him until he blacked out. Why is Finn betraying me?
