Page 115 of Yolo

“And how did you get down the mountain?” the lawyer asked.

She turned to face where she thought I was, and she smiled softly.

“Garrett, my now fiancé, found me,” she whispered. “He and his brother were on a hike. They were in town for a family event. I was screaming for help, and he came.”

The way she looked in that moment, like I was the answer to all her problems, had my heart seizing in my chest.

God, I was thankful every day that I got there in time.

“He carried you down the mountain,” Kevin said.

“Yes,” she answered. “Then got me to the hospital in time for them to fix a massive brain bleed in my head.”

“And after that?” he asked.

“After that, I was paid off by the Harris family. To keep me from bringing a lawsuit against them,” she answered.

“And you never brought one?” Kevin asked.

“No,” she said. “I never intended to.”

She then went on to explain how she’d moved from Albuquerque, found a job and a new home in Texas, and stayed far away from him.

“It was him who followed me,” she admitted. “I’m not sure why.”

“The trespassing order is because he wouldn’t leave you alone?” Kevin asked.

“Yes,” she agreed. “He kept forcing his way into my apartment. Wouldn’t leave when I asked him to. And my fiancé helped me get a trespassing order to help keep him away. When I was going to get a restraining order, he moved into my apartment complex.”

“Isn’t your apartment complex for the blind?” Kevin asked.

“Yes,” she answered. “Actually, my fiancé used to live there as well, but the owner told me that he’d asked all non-blind residents to leave if it was possible. He wanted to make it a super friendly apartment community for the blind so that they would have a safe place to live. He wanted to turn all units into a blind-friendly community where they could live and be comfortable.”

“Thank you, Ms. Howe.” Kevin went to sit down.

That’s when Joseph’s slimy lawyer got up.

“Is it true that you took out a life insurance policy on Mr. Joseph Harris?” he asked.

She frowned. “No. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I have it right here.” He plopped it down in front of her face as if she could read it. “What do you think about that?”

It was the judge who said, “Sir, I know you’re aware, but the woman is blind. She can’t read it.”

The dumbass flushed and floundered for a second.

“It shows that you had a five-million-dollar life insurance policy taken out on Mr. Harris,” he said.

“Well, I wasn’t the one to take that policy out.” She paused. “But if we’re talking about life insurance policies, I was just made aware of the entire Harris family taking one out on me the week before the hike that almost killed me.”

The lawyer blinked, then turned in surprise to stare at his client.

“That’s not true!” Joseph blurted out, standing up.

“Sit down,” the judge ordered. “One more outburst like that when you’re not on the stand, and we’ll be escorting you to the jail next door.”

I smirked.

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