Page 76 of Montana Silence

“And what would have happened if you hadn’t been rescued?”

I looked at Liam and noted the pride in his eyes. “I have no doubt if the compound hadn’t been raided, Malcolm would have forced me to marry him and allowed the men of The Family to rape me at will.”

The already quiet courtroom went dead silent.

“You said you received another package?”

“Yes.” My hands were shaking with adrenaline now. “What remained of the wedding dress, torn to pieces, along with many cut-up flowers that match the ones planted outside my home. There was also a note which read, ‘You will always belong to The Family.’ So, I have no doubt, if released, Malcolm Novic would attempt to reinstate The Family, along with all its practices.”

“Thank you very much for your testimony, Miss Greene,” Claire said. “It has been very insightful.”

“Yes,” the same panel member who welcomed me agreed. “It has. You may step down, Miss Greene.”

It was over, and I took the risk. I looked at Malcolm. Rage contorted his features. He didn’t even try to hide it. It was easier to walk past him again and back to Liam, who tucked me into his side and leaned his head against mine. “You were amazing.”

“Thank you.”

Even with my newfound love of words, it was still a lot to speak so much in front of this many people. I leaned against him, exhausted.

I couldn’t even listen to the panel while they asked for more testimony and found there wasn’t any. Malcolm would speak to the panel himself, but I wasn’t going to stay and listen to that.

“We’ll reconvene in ten minutes.”

Claire followed us out the doors. “You were incredible, Mara. Thank you. I don’t think there’s anything he can say to save himself now. I’ll stay and listen, but they’ll make their decision and announce tomorrow. I’ll text you the rest of the details when we’re finished.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“No. Seriously, thankyou.” She was smiling. “Because of you, he’s never going to get out. And that’s incredible. You did a good thing, Mara.”

She waved and spun back into the courtroom like the whirlwind she was. I still felt like I was standing motionless in the middle of a chaotic storm.

“She’s right,” Liam said. “But I don’t know if you want to keep hearing it.”

“Not right now,” I admitted.

He chuckled and kissed my temple. “Let’s get the hell out of here. I think you’ve more than earned some ice cream, don’t you?”

“Oh my god, yes.”

Liam took my hand, and we went in search of Phoenix’s best ice cream, and I felt a thousand pounds lighter.

* * *

“Well, that’s not good.”

The engine in our rental car made a noise I knew no engine should make. You didn’t have to be a mechanic to know that. The court session for the announcement started in fifteen minutes. While the building was close, it wasn’tthatclose. Even calling a cab would make us late.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I don’t need to see it.”

“Yes, you do,” Liam said. “You need to be able to look that fucker in the eye when they tell him he’s going back to jail. I want that for you.”

I wanted it to, but we couldn’t have everything.

“Call Claire,” Liam said. “Maybe she can come over and pick you up.”

“Me?” I said, heart picking up. “Just me?”

He looked torn. “I need to figure out what’s wrong with the car in order to get it back to the airport. Either getting under the hood myself, or calling the rental company and having them send a replacement. It will take time.”

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