Page 51 of Captivated with Them

Self-conscious, I pulled at my skirt-suit. The number of people here didn’t help with my anxiety. My gaze flitted among them, and I both hoped and dreaded seeing a familiar face. Dillon was out here somewhere. He knew I was due to testify, as did the others. Would they come? Even though a part of me hoped they would, the other part didn’t want them to get involved. If anything bad happened to them, I didn’t think I’d be able to hold it together.

Frankie took hold of my elbow and propelled me toward the entrance. To anyone looking on, he could have seemed to be supporting me. If only these people knew the truth.

We went through security without a problem.

Caroline Simpson from the District Attorney’s Office was waiting to meet us. She smiled warmly at me as we approached. Her eyes darted toward Frankie but quickly moved away again. I had no doubt she knew the exact reason he was there. That there was beef between Joe Nettie and the Capello brothers wasn’t a secret. She would have been perfectly aware that he was only there to make sure his enemy got sent down for a very long time. Of course, there was no law against him doing just that. The way he did break the law, however, was by threatening me to make me testify. Would I have testified if he hadn’t done what he had? Honestly, probably not. If I had my way, I’d have put thousands of miles between me and this whole mess and hope I’d never have to see the Capellos or the likes of Joe Nettie ever again.

I fought the sudden urge to tell Ms. Simpson everything. The words crawled up my throat and battled across my tongue, seeking their escape, but I managed to keep my lips sealed tight. I couldn’t tell her. What would it achieve? Nettie would walk, and even if Frankie Capello was arrested, he’d be out again quickly enough. I’d lose the small amount of protection I had, and if there were people watching Kodee and Ryan, I was fairly sure they’d be made to pay for my transgression.

“Everything all right, Rue?” A soft female voice broke me from my thoughts.

“Yes, sorry.” I blinked at Caroline Simpson and forced a smile. “I’m just nervous, that’s all.”

“Completely understandable, considering the circumstances. I’d be surprised if you weren’t nervous.”

She was being kind, treating me with kid gloves, but it wasn’t for my benefit. This lawyer would also want me to testify. The D.A.’s office would have put a lot of manhours into getting Nettie put away and they wouldn’t want the case to fall apart now.

“You might have a bit of waiting before you’re called in, I’m afraid. These things tend to take a lot of time.”

“That’s okay.”

I could wait. I didn’t have much choice.

Would I see Joe Nettie while I waited? Or was he already in the courtroom? I didn’t know if the defendant was brought in a different way than the rest of us, to prevent us meeting.

“Remember everything we talked about,” Caroline said. “Be confident with what you say, and try not to let the defense trip you up. You’re not the one on trial here.”

“It doesn’t matter how many times you say that, it still feels like I am.”

She gave me a reassuring smile. “Well, you’re not. You haven’t done anything wrong. You’re just here to tell the truth, okay?”

I sucked in a breath and nodded.

“There’s an area where you can sit until you’re called in. Remember you’re not allowed to talk to anyone else about the case until it’s over. Did you bring anything with you to keep you entertained in the meantime? A book or anything?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m fine.” I wasn’t about to admit to her that even if I had a book, I would struggle to read it.

“Mr. Capello,” Caroline said, moving her attention away from me. “You can watch the trial from the gallery in the courtroom.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

She gave us a final smile. “Well, good luck.”

Frankie wouldn’t be allowed to stay here, but he waited until the lawyer had stepped away before he left me with his final threat.

“Don’t try to leave. I have men who are still watching your friends. All it will take is one phone call from me to have a bullet put in their heads.”

“Don’t worry,” I spat. “I won’t forget.”

Frankie nodded then turned and left me.

Relieved to no longer have him nearby, I exhaled a shaky breath and sank into the nearest seat.

There was nothing more I could do except wait.

Minutes stretched to hours. People who worked in the courthouse stopped by to check on me from time to time, handing me water and cups of bitter coffee.

Suddenly, someone called my name, using the surname I’d been given, but which I wasn’t even sure was my own.

“Rue Andrews”

I swallowed hard, light-headed with panic.

It was time.

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