Page 7 of Shining Through

The judge turned an angry eye toward the prosecutor. Daniil had received similar looks from Bogdanov and almost felt sorry for her. Almost. “Miss Knight?”

“Your Honor, the cost and inconvenience of dragging this poor woman all the way from Australia is grandstanding of the most egregious sort! Mr. Andreev is accused of a low-level felony, not capital murder.”

Gerber gaped with exaggerated shock. “Are you suggesting the court isn’t entitled to hear testimony from a witness who could clear my client?”

“Of course not. But Your Honor, I ask for a recess.”

Now what? Daniil’s heart pounded as his lawyer, the prosecutor and the judge disappeared through the door behind the bench. He turned back to where Anton and Ilya sat. Anton spread his hands and shrugged. Ilya’s head was bowed, presumably in prayer.

Across the aisle, the motorcycle owner mouthed something to Becky, who sat two rows behind him. Becky shook her head and mouthed something back. That had to be one hell of an interesting conversation. Then the guy realized Daniil was watching and glared. Rather than respond with an obscene gesture, Daniil shoved his hands in his pockets. There was nothing to do but wait.

Fifteen minutes later, they were back. Joseph Gerber’s satisfied look suggested good news, but Daniil feared giving into false hope. The prosecutor shot a cold look at the defense table. “Counselor, is your client prepared to plead guilty to charges of Misdemeanor theft, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and accept a fine of $1,500?”

No jail?Daniil’s mouth went dry, and his breathing slowed. He prayed he wasn’t dreaming. With his heart pounding and gooseflesh breaking out beneath his clothes, he faced his lawyer and the judge. “Da!I mean, yes!”

“Mr. Andreev, I’m giving you a chance to turn your future around,” said the judge. “Everyone has challenges, but the test of our character is whether we let them define us, or we define ourselves.”

With a sharp bang of the gavel, Daniil’s nightmare was over.

He paid his fine on his way out of the courthouse, and did his best to quell the shame that he could afford it, thanks to a man he loathed. A bottomless bank account was the lone benefit of being Nikolai Andreev’s son. The money had allowed him to continue training as a competitive figure skater, even after the Russian Federation of Sport had refused to fund him. He wasn’t proud of what he’d done to stay in the sport he loved; but now, he might have the chance he’d longed for since boyhood, to compete in the Winter Games.

Hope rose in Daniil’s chest, and this time, he let it come.

Outside, Daniil extended a handshake to Joseph Gerber. “Hey man, thanks for everything you did. You saved my ass in there.”

They shook, and the attorney handed him a white business card. “Call me the next time you need a lawyer.”

“This will be never, but thank you,” Anton said.

The sky was cloudy, but on the horizon, there was a hint of blue. The air held the crispness of fall. It was the perfect day for a fresh start. Sweet freedom sunk in. Daniil loosened his tie, removed his suit coat and rolled back the sleeves on his dress shirt.

The attorney glanced down at the ink covering Daniil’s arms. “That’s nice work. I’ve been thinking about a tattoo. Maybe my girlfriend’s name or the Steelers logo. Where did you have those done?”

“Moscow.”

“Oh. I guess that’s kind of far.”

“Kind of,” Daniil agreed.

Anton turned to Daniil. “We need to go. Our flight is in three hours.”

Startled, Daniil looked at his coaches. No one had mentioned a flight. After all this, were Anton and Ilya dropping him and sending him back to Moscow? “To where?”

Anton grinned. “Relax, we have a surprise too. One you will like. We’re going to Chicago. Misha is there working with Carrie’s pair before they compete this weekend. Since this business,” he tilted his head toward the brick courthouse, “cut into your training, we hired him to work with you there, then travel with us to Vancouver to prepare you for the Maple Leaf Classic.”

“Think of it as traveling two week training camp,” Ilya said. “You like our surprise?”

How could he not? He was free, he could return his focus to the sport he loved, a winning season, and the chance to compete in Grenoble. The future was brighter than fireworks.

As he and his coaches crossed the vast parking lot toward their rented sedan, he spotted Becky and her boyfriend, swapping spit next to the infamous red Suzuki. Full of love for fellow mankind, Daniil raised a hand in greeting.

Becky paused from making out long enough to glare in Daniil’s direction. “Fuck you, asshole! And fuck your fucking lawyers too!”

Anton shot Daniil a warning look not to take the bait, but his coach had nothing to worry about. The woman was trouble and Daniil was done with trouble. Done with women too, at least for the season.

Unless Tabitha Turner happened to show interest.

CHAPTER FOUR

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