Page 173 of In the Air Tonight

“Overruled. Please answer the question, Ms. Merrick.”

“No, I’d never seen or heard of anything like that, which is why I was so shocked by what I saw him do to Denise. He’d been with Louisa for years.”

“Why did you decide to come forward now?”

“I heard Ryder was running for Congress, and I couldn’t live with this secret for another minute. I drove home and reported it the next day.”

“Ms. Merrick, did anyone else witness the attack on Ms. Sutton, that you know of?”

“I’m speaking only for myself.”

“Ms. Merrick,” the judge says, “you’re under oath. Please answer the question.”

“Ms. Merrick,” Josh says, “did anyone else witness the attack?”

I can tell Blaise wasn’t expecting them to push her on this point.

“Yes.”

“Who was that person?”

“Sienna Lawton Elliott.”

Once again, chaos erupts.

I’m shocked to my core to hear that Sienna, my sister-in-law and friend, knew all along that Ryder had done this and never told me.

“I think I’ve heard enough,” I whisper to Houston.

He gets up and gestures for me to go ahead of him out of the courtroom.

I’m surprised when he follows me.

“I’d ask if you’re all right…”

“Four people giving the same story, including my own sister-in-law, who’s known, for all this time, I was married to a rapist.” I look up at him, my eyes full of tears. “That’s a lot to process.”

“I can’t imagine.”

“At least now I know for certain.”

“Does that help?”

“In some ways. Since he was arrested, I’ve sort of had it in the back of my mind that maybe it was all a big mistake. But denial is no longer an option, is it?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Thank you for being there for me today, Houston. You really helped me.”

“I wish there was more I could do.”

“You were exactly what I needed—a friend. So, thank you again.”

“Would it be okay if I checked on you later?”

“Sure, that would be nice.”

“Let me walk you to your car.”

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