Janet was up earlier than usual, sipping coffee in her bed. The upcoming court date loomed in her thoughts and her conversation with Cas— the accused.
She hadn't expected him to be so easy on the eyes. Instead of the rugged hardened type she'd pictured, she'd found herself facing one of the most masculine, dangerously attractive men she'd seen in a long while.
He was well-spoken, articulate, and sharp—smart enough to sense that she was hiding something from him.
Drug dealer or not, in that line of work, one had to be incredibly aware of body language.
At least he'd agreed to her proposal.
Janet had made sure she would be the one to stand as his defense lawyer, especially after learning about his underworld reputation. She hoped the plan —their plan—would work out.
She and her sister had been on this case for a while and only the two of them knew why this case mattered so much. Janet trusted nobody else.
Definitely not Cas.
And yet…his face haunted her thoughts.
Those deep brown, always narrowed with suspicion. The straight line of his nose, perfectly balanced against the sharp planes of his face. Even his lips, dried and cracked at the time, stirred her imagination. She wondered how they might look like when dampened with his saliva…or hers.
That vest he'd worn, dark, grey, and fitted just enough to trace the outline of his moderately ripped body. Each slow, steady breath had distracted her further. No tattoos, at least none she could see. She caught herself wondering if there were any hidden beneath the vest.
Her phone rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. Who could be calling this early? She glanced at the screen—it was her sister. Janet answered.
"Couldn't sleep too?" came her sister's voice, soft but tense.
"You don't sound like you got enough sleep yourself," Janet replied, faint amusement in her tone.
Her sister exhaled "I'm nervous, Janet. The next stage after this will be dangerous, especially now that we are involving a literal lord of the underworld to help us. I can't stop thinking about all the things that could go wrong."
Janet drew in a slow breath. "We don't have much of a choice, Mirabel. And…time is running out."
Her sister was silent for a few moments, then said quietly "What if he betrays us? People like Cas don't keep their end of a bargain with people like us."
"Cas also has something at stake too."
Janet reminded her "Proving his innocence and finding the friend who framed him."
Mirabel sighed. She was against being allies with Cas from the moment Janet had suggested it but Janet was desperate now— and didn't care what she had to risk to get to HENNEDY.
"I'll see you in court, sis," Mirabel said before hanging up.
Janet swallowed hard. She more than anyone hoped that the plan she had in mind would
work out.
* *
The courtroom was packed. Every seat filled. Of course, everyone wanted to attend to witness the downfall of HENNEDY—Only this wasn't him.
Janet smoothed the front of her beige suit beneath her black robe, the white wig above completing the look. When everyone was seated, the judge requested the presence of the accused.
Two police men escorted Cas inside—one of them the same officer who'd taken Janet to see him the day before. This time, Cas wore the yellow two-piece prison uniform.
As he walked towards the dock, his gaze locked on hers. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and then he did something so casual — yet so effective it made her insides clench. He dampened his lips slightly but it was easily the sexiest thing she had ever seen.
She also noticed how the women in the courtroom shifted the moment he appeared. Janet couldn't blame them. Cas was magnetic.
She caught her sister's eye from across the room. Mirabel eyed her with uncertainty. Janet smiled to reassure her.
When Cas was settled into the dock, the judge gestured to the state prosecutor,
"Proceed."
A few moments after the prosecutor was done crucifying HENNEDY's reputation and insisting Cas was no doubt the one, it was Janet's turn to speak.
"I believe he's innocent, my lord," she stated clearly.
The court murmured. The judge ordered good behavior and continued to speak. "Counsel, you were appointed by the state to represent Mr Cas and you've concluded that he's innocent?"
"Yes, my lord," Janet said firmly. "HENNEDY is not invisible— he's a man. A man who has a face. Mr Cas does not match the description of HENNEDY and I have evidence proving he was in the church at the time of the setup."
The Prosecutor barked, "Objection my lord."
Too late! The judge was already invested in whatever Janet had to say "Objection overruled." he turned to Janet "May I see your evidence?"
Janet nodded. "Yes, your honor,"
A lady walked in with a little girl barely eleven years old. Everyone in the courtroom recognized her. She looked healthier, better fed—the same little girl who had been retrieved from HENNEDY. She was brought to the witness stand.
Janet approached her gently with a smile "Hello, Stacy."
Stacy bowed her head, obviously shy before the crowd in the courtroom
"Hello, Miss Janet."
"We're all friends here, Stacy. You've been very brave, and everyone wants to help you feel safe again." Janet stepped closer to the witness stand "I know you don't like to talk about the bad man, but what you say now can help us stop him."
Stacy raised her gaze to Janet, giving her a reassuring look. "Did you ever get to see HENNEDY'S face, or hear his voice?"
Stacy hesitated. "Yes. I remember him. He was never scared to show us his face."
Janet gave her a reassuring nod, then turned to the judge,
"Detective Mirabel, please present the recorded evidence of the call between Cas and his friend to this court."
Mirabel did as she was asked to the judge. The audio played, and the court listened in silence.
When it ended, the judge looked to Janet. "And?"
He was asking for more proof.
Janet turned back to Stacy. "Stacy, I'd like you to look at someone for me," she said gently. "Tell us if he's the man you remembered."
The girl nodded. Janet led her toward the dock where Cas stood.
He stood at six feet three. Even in prison clothes, he radiated quiet dominance. As they stopped, Janet noticed Stacy's cheeks turned pink. Janet swallowed—apparently the effect Cas had wasn't limited to grown women.
"Stacy," she said, "Do you recognize this man?"
The girl shook her head.
Janet turned to Cas, "Mr Cas, please introduce yourself to the court."
Cas cleared his throat. "My name is Cas."
A few women in the crowd giggled.
Janet turned back to the girl. "Do you recognize his voice?"
Another shake of the head.
Janet looked back at the judge "This is all I have for the defense my lord— and a condition for the accused to prove his innocence."
The Judge looked back at the prosecutor and asked "Anything to contradict this. Prosecutor."
The Prosecutor folded his arms, intrigued.
"No your honor." he turned to Janet "By all means, let's hear it."
The attention of the entire courtroom returned to Janet. She felt a wave of her nerves, and her sister's gaze locked even more intently on her.
"Mr Cas knows his way around in the underworld." she said "He can help us find HENNEDY."
The judge studied her. "Counsel, are you requesting bail for the accused to enable him to assist the state?"
Janet held the judge's gaze with confidence; she couldn't afford to look unsure now. "Yes, your honor. He is a better asset when free—though still confined to the law."
The courtroom erupted in whispers. The judge silenced them with a strike of his gavel.
"According to Counsel Janet," he announced, "who has presented a reasonable defense, my judgment is to allow the accused to prove his innocence by serving as an asset to the state in the hunt for HENNEDY."
He struck the gavel once more.
"Court dismissed."