Page 66 of Dare
Heraises the gun another fraction, and the agent proves him wrong. I’ve neveractually heard a gunshot close-up before, and it’s deafening in the confinedspace. At first, I think it made a weird echo, until I see Dare’s hand slamover his cheek, blood leaking through his fingers. Shouts fill the air, but Ibarely hear them over the buzzing in my ears. It’s chaos as the agents struggleto get control of the situation, but all I can see is Dare.
Someoneshouts my name, but I ignore it. He’s shot. Dare’s shot. Finally, I reach him,and when he spins around, there’s a small grin on his face. My mind can’t seemto process what’s going on. “He shot you,” I whisper.
Dareremoves his hand and swipes his cheek with his jacket sleeve. “It just grazedme, sweetheart. I’m okay. Might need a few stitches.”
Myknees buckle in relief and he catches me, pulling me into his embrace. “It’sokay. We’re both okay, darlin’. It’s over. I promise it’s over.”
“Idon’t understand what’s happening. The FBI?” I squeeze him tighter and hemurmurs in my ear.
“Itold you not to worry. I had it all under control.”
“Well,you got shot, so your control sucks,” I reply. I’m still shaking from theadrenaline.
Hechuckles as I survey the grisly scene in front of me. Senator Montgomery’s bodylies face down on the floor while the agents search him. Too little too late. Iguess being a senator was enough to get him through security without having togo through the metal detector.
Talbotis ranting and raving that everyone is going to pay. Sadie rushes over and hugsme. “Never a dull moment with you in my life,” she says, her voice shaky. “Doyou know what happened? Why they wanted him?”
“Multiplecrimes,” Dare explains. “Accepting bribes, bribing other judges, including theone who would’ve presided over my case today, embezzlement of campaign funds.Plus, he had child porn on his computer. That’s why I didn’t fight going totrial so quickly. We gave him the rope to hang himself with, and sure enough,he sprung into action to make sure I was convicted.
“Talbotis just as culpable. They’ll both be going down for a long time. All the cases Montgomerypresided over as a judge, and all the cases presided over by the judges hebribed will be re-examined.” His hand threads into my hair and he looks into myeyes. “Including yours.”
“Andyour assault case?”
Dare’slawyer speaks up. “The state will likely drop the case now that the plaintiffis not a credible witness. They have plenty of evidence for his prior crime againstyou and the stalking. Derek was acting in your defense.”
Relieffloods through me. Dare isn’t going to prison. “So, it’s really over?”
“Yes,it’s really over.” His blue eyes sparkle with happiness.
“Didyou know this was going to happen today?”
“Ihoped. The FBI wanted to wait until they could catch all the players off guard.The senator, Talbot, the judge set to preside over my trial, a prosecutor, eventhe court clerk who handed the judge the case, along with a few others who didhis bidding.” He gestures to the line of people now cuffed and seated along onewall.
“Whydidn’t you tell me?”
“Icouldn’t. It had to be kept close in case something went wrong, and I didn’twant to get your hopes up.”
I’moverwhelmed by all the sudden revelations. “Can we go home now?”
“Theagents will probably want a word or two before they let anyone leave. Give me asecond.” He walks over to talk with one of the suited men.
Wespend the next hour sitting in an empty courtroom as agents take our statementsone by one. It seems silly to me since they were there and saw everything, butI guess when a standoff ends in death, it’s protocol.
Theyfinally let us go and Dare grins, grabbing my hand. “Come on, you don’t want tomiss this.” Just ahead of us, Talbot is being lead out in cuffs. As soon asthey step out the door he’s surrounded with reporters screaming questions.
“Isit true your father paid off judges to keep you out of jail?”
“Howmany women have you assaulted?”
“Didyou throw acid in a woman’s face?”
Darekeeps us just inside the doors where we can’t be seen. “We don’t have to go outthat way. I just wanted you to see. People care, Ayda. They care what he did toyou and the other women in his past. He won’t get away with it anymore.”
Myheart thumps in my chest. I’ve hidden for so long, so ashamed of what had beendone to me, when it was never my fault. I’m done hiding. “Let’s go,” I whisper,grabbing his hand.
Areporter takes one glance at my face and rushes over, quickly followed by threemore. “Are you Ayda Brooks?”
Takinga deep breath, I face her camera. “Yes.”
