Page 17 of Captivated with Them

But, just like me, Frankie made it through without gaining any more attention than anyone else, and he joined me. He wrapped his fingers around my upper arm and led me away from the security, toward a bank of elevators, which we took to another floor. We navigated down the corridors to our destination.

We reached the D.A.’s offices and were shown through to where we needed to be. My stomach churned with anxiety, and I felt lightheaded, my hands trembling. I kept telling myself I hadn’t done anything wrong, but I couldn’t escape the sensation that I was the one who was in trouble.

I guessed, in many ways, I probably was.

Frankie knocked on the door, and a voice called for us to come in. He opened the door and gestured for me to step through.

I was surprised to see a woman sitting behind the desk positioned at the far side of the room. Two chairs were on our side, clearly intended for us.

The woman, who I guessed to be in her mid-thirties, rose from her chair and offered me a smile. She wore her black hair in a severe bun, but her green eyes were kind.

“Miss Andrews,” she said, directing the surname and title at me.

Andrews? Rue Andrews. Was that my actual surname, or something that the Capellos had made up for me?

“Thank you for coming,” the lawyer continued. “My name is Caroline Simpson, and I work with the District Attorney’s Office.”

She offered me her hand over the desk, and I quickly crossed the room and shook it. I hoped she wouldn’t notice how my palms were sweaty despite my fingers being ice-cold, or how there was a tremor in my hand.

“Pleased to meet you.”

Even in this expensive, brand-new suit, I still felt as though she must know I was an owned woman. I was horribly self-conscious, my cheeks heating. I could feel sweat patches forming beneath my armpits, soaking into the white of the new shirt, and I hoped she wasn’t going to suggest I take my jacket off.

“Mr. Capello,” she said, offering Frankie a nod, though she didn’t shake his hand.

I shot Frankie a nervous glance.

“We can take this from here, Mr. Capello,” she said, still wearing her smile, though now her features were tight.

“I think it would be better if I stayed,” he insisted.

“I’m afraid that simply isn’t possible. I’m sure you understand we can’t do anything that would give the defense a reason to have this thrown out of court, and tampering with a witness can be considered a felony.”

He scowled. “Fine. I’ll be right outside.”

I loved that she’d just dismissed him. I wanted to give her a high five, or even a hug.

I sank with relief when he left, folding myself into the chair opposite Caroline Simpson’s desk.

“Are you all right?” she asked kindly. “Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee? Water?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m fine, but thank you. This has all just been very stressful.”

“I can imagine. Are you okay to proceed?”

I nodded, both hands clenched in my lap.

“You understand the defense is going to do everything they can to make you look like an unreliable witness. They’ll ask you the same question, but in different forms, to try to get you to give different answers.”

“I’m not the one who’s on trial.”

“Not directly, no, but they will treat you as though you are. They’ll make out you have a vendetta against Joe Nettie, or that you’re doing this because you’re being coerced into it.”

My gaze must have shifted away, and Caroline Simpson jumped on it.

“That there is exactly what I’m talking about. If you look guilty, the jury will see it right away.” She placed both forearms on her desk and leaned toward me, lowering her tone a fraction. “You’re not being threatened or coerced into doing this, are you? Of course, I know exactly who Frankie Capello is. You can talk to me, if you need to.”

I knew she wouldn’t want me to say I was being forced to do this. A large part of getting Joe Nettie put away was because of my testimony. She would want to believe me when I told her I was doing this of my own free will.

I straightened and looked her in the eye. “I saw Joe Nettie shoot Cisco King twice in the head. I was standing in the corner of the room when it happened. I saw everything.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Good. That’s exactly how I want you to be on the stand.”

I wasn’t lying. I did see the shooting. Maybe I was being forced to take the stand, but nothing I said about what I’d seen was an untruth.

I just had to do what they asked and get Nettie locked up for the rest of his life, and then I could figure out what to do with my own.

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