Page 1 of Trusting Laurence
Prologue
Tahlia O’Connor stood on the courthouse steps, staring at the figure walking through the doors into the building. Fear was an oily taste in her mouth, bitter and unpleasant. One she’d become intimately acquainted with over the twenty years of her marriage to a monster. The same man she watched entering the courthouse.
I can’t do this. There’s nowhere for me to hide. He’ll come for me; he’ll find me. He always does.
On the point of bolting, she felt the gentle touch of a hand on her arm. She flinched and clapped a hand over her mouth as a small scream escaped. Eyes glazing with terror, she shrank back, deep into her heavy winter coat. Throwing a protective arm up to shield her face, she couldn’t stop the words from coming, unbidden, “No, please. I’m sorry. Please don’t—”
“Tahlia. Honey, it’s okay. It’s only me. You’re safe. He can’t hurt you anymore. Tahlia? Look at me, honey.”
The soft voice, so unexpected, filtered through the fog of terror into her consciousness. Blinking tears from her eyes, she turned her head in the direction the voice had come from. Her attorney stood beside her, a look of sadness on her face.
“You with me, honey?”
Tahlia nodded but didn’t say a word. Couldn’t say a word. She felt paralyzed as she stood there, taking deep breaths. Her body trembled, her stomach roiling.
“Take your time. We don’t have to be in court for another fifteen minutes. You tell me when you’re ready, okay?”
Again, she simply nodded. She didn’t think she would ever be ready to face the man who had, over the years, systematically broken her in the name of taking care of her. The world had believed that theirs had been the perfect, fairytale life, but the reality had been far removed from a storybook romance.
Everything in her rebelled at the idea of being in the same room as him again. Hyperventilating, her heart raced just thinking about it. But it had to be done if she was ever to be free of him. If she was ever to have a chance at piecing her broken spirit back together, she needed to face her fear and see this through to the end.
With a last, deep breath, Tahlia wiped a shaking hand over her mouth.
“You’re sure they’ll be able to protect me? Marcus has a far reach. There’s nowhere I can hide that he can’t find me.”
“You’ll be safe. They know what they’re doing. He won’t find you. I promise.”
Her mind screamed at her to go, but if she did, she’d be running for the rest of her life. Despite how badly she was shaking, Tahlia straightened her spine. Her eyes not quite meeting the attorney’s, she nodded. “I’m about as ready as I’m ever going to be. Let’s just get this done.”
Her attorney placed a comforting arm around Tahlia’s shoulders and guided her up the steps.
Larry Keon liftedthe glass of Guinness to his lips, taking a deep swallow. The lunchtime rush was over, and it was too early for the evening crowd, so the little bar he favored was still quiet. Just the way he liked it.
Movement on the television in the corner caught his eye. Looking over, he froze as a familiar face popped up on the screen, but, with the sound muted, he couldn’t hear what was being said.
“Hey Steve, turn the TV up a second?” he called out to the barman.
As the man increased the volume, Larry heard the news presenter say, “And in other news, former Senator Marcus Forrester has been found guilty on multiple counts of aggravated assault and one count of attempted murder against his ex-wife, Tahlia O’Connor. The senator’s legal team had been quite confident of a dismissal but after the evidence concluded with the emotional testimony of Ms. O’Connor this morning, it seems it might have been premature. A clearly distressed Ms. O’Connor gave an account of numerous occasions Senator Forrester assaulted her over the years of their marriage. This unexpected outcome followed a short deliberation by the jury. Sentencing will take place later this this month. And now for a commercial break before we check out the weather.”
As an ad came on, Larry sat back in his seat, staring unseeing at the screen. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Time passed as he got lost in memories of a past that had haunted him for decades. A past he’d never thought would see the light of day. Who would have thought the day would come.? Lifting his glass in salute, he drained it.Cheers, sweetheart. I’m proud of you.
1
Three Years Later
With a heavy sigh, Larry leaned back in his chair. Interlocking his fingers behind his head, he contemplated the papers scattered across his desk. Frustration bubbled beneath his skin like acid. Their investigation had run cold, and he was out of options.
For months, they’d been following up leads and tip-offs, no matter how far-fetched or implausible. One just never knew what would yield results. But so far, nothing. Scrubbing a hand down his face, he blew out another breath. He reached out a hand to randomly grab a piece of paper from his desk in the hopes it would spark something. Anything. A flicker of an idea, no matter how small.
The phone on his desk rang, catching him off guard. With a curse, he reached out a hand to answer.
“Yeah?”
“Sorry to disturb you, sir, but there’s a lady on the line for you. She’s reluctant to give her name but asked that I tell you she’s an old friend,” his secretary answered.
“She say anything else?”
