Page 32 of Justice for the SEAL
She dropped the gavel as if she’d been burned. She stood. The prosecutor abruptly stopped talking. A hush fell overtheroom.
Her eyes scanned the courtroom, going from face to face. There were too many people, too many sets of eyeballs staring back at her, and at least one of them was amonster.
She found her voice. “The court will take a short recess.” She rushed to her chambers, slamming the door behind her like she’d narrowly escaped Hadesitself.
She was hyperventilating, her lungs taking in more air than she knew what to do with. She bent at the waist and grabbed the couch, pulling herselfontoit.
There was pounding on her chamber door and terror flashed through her. Had she locked the door behind her when she came in? “Whoisit?”
“Logan.”
She rushed to the door and opened it a crack. Her secretary wasn’t at her desk, thank goodness. “What are you doing?” she bit out. “You can’t be seen talkingtome.”
“What happened back there? You looked like you saw aghost.”
Her eyes went from side to side, then she pulled him into her office. “They got to the bench. I don’t know how. The room’s always locked when court’s not in session, but somehow they got to the bench. My gavel was engraved—somebody scraped it out with something sharp—and it said, ‘we’rewatchingyou’.”
She heard herself tripping over her words, knew she was barely makingsense.
“Just now? That was written on yourgavel?”
She nodded quickly, a noise that was half sob, half laugh escaping her mouth. “What do I do? They’re out there right now, in thecourtroom.”
“Maybe. Or else they just wanted to scare you into thinking they werethere.”
“Well it worked, okay? Theyscaredme.”
He touched her upper arms and she pulled away. “Not now. Please don’ttouchme.”
“Call off the rest of the trial for today. You’re not going to make it back out therelikethis.”
“I said we’d take a shortrecess.”
“So pick up the phone and tell them you changed your mind. You’re not feeling well. Anyone who saw you in that courtroom will believe it in a heartbeat. Then you’re coming with me to HEROForce.”
“I can’t do that! What if the kidnappersseeme?”
“We’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen.” He pulled his polo shirt over his head. “Take myclothes.”
“Have you lost your mind? You’re a gangly six-foot-God-knows-what man, and I’m a short littlewoman.”
“Just putiton.”
She did as he said, unzipping her robe and hanging it up onahook.
“Lucky for you, I’m wearing shorts today,” he said, stepping out of them and handing themtoher.
“If your shorts fit me, I’m going to killmyself.”
“I haveabelt.”
She fastened it around her waist. “I look ridiculous. I certainly don’t look likeaman.”
“Hard to look like a guy with that rack.” He winked at her. “But you look a lot less attractive than you usually do. Do you happen to haveahat?”
“Bottom right deskdrawer.”
He pulled it out, reading, “Happy Seventieth Birthday Judge Hollurman.” He handed it to her. “Put yourhairup.”
