Page 22 of The Captive Missing

“Well, it helps if you have a phone.” Theresa leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms over her body.

Without further comment, she watched as Val turned on the shower then held her hand under the spray until the temperature was just right. Although Val had been offered a cell phone time and again, she was still adamant in her decision against them. She saw what it did to everyone who held it, and she simply refused to give herself away to the tiny electronic device.

Stripping down, Val hopped into the shower and began a thorough wash of her hair. All the while, Theresa talked. She questioned Val about the notarized bank statements from Gabe, and about the night of the original negotiation for the five million dollar payout. When each of Val’s answers were exactly as they had rehearsed, she departed, leaving Val alone to complete her ritual.

Legs shaved, body scrubbed and hair dripping from the spray, Val turned off the water and stepped out. In the central living area, she could hear the arrival of the nail technicians. The foreign cadence of their speech reminded her of life abroad. Running short on time, she wrapped her hair in a towel, threw on a tank top and pair of cotton shorts and hustled into the shared space.

For the next hour she submitted to the relaxing process that is your typical manicure and pedicure. Well, at any other time in her life Val would have considered it relaxing. Not today, however. Today she sat stiffly, eyes focused on the puff of clouds that passed outside the bank of windows.

Part of her tingled in anticipation. She would see Jason again. He would be only a few feet away. The other part filled with a sickly dread. How was he really doing? Would the evidence she presented today be enough to get him out?

After the nail techs had gone, Val picked over her salad for several minutes before excusing herself to the bathroom. She blew out her hair, curled it in soft waves, and applied a reserved palette of makeup. Today she must look professional, believable, but still alluring. The combination was not an easy balance to strike.

Stepping into the closet, she perused the options that Elaine had sent over. There was a smart pant suit but she thought it was a touch too conservative. Plucking a navy pencil skirt from the rack she paired it with a cream-colored blouse whose material was just thin enough to make out her lace bra.

Checking herself in the full length mirror, Val completed the outfit with a pair of four-inch black patent heels. The skirt hugged her in all the right ways, but wasn’t too short. The top had long sleeves and a conservative neckline, but the opaque material revealed more than a hint of the sexy undergarment just beneath.

Stylish, expensive, distracting.

Perfect.

Senior, Jeremy and Theresa waited for her on the sofa. CT stood by the front door, ever vigilant, even when locked safely inside the suite. All eyes tracked her as she entered the room and gave them a slight nod. She was ready.

Down the elevator they went, through the lobby and into the heat of another July day. Dodging cameras, they fled single file, not offering any comments this time as they loaded into the limousine that was necessary to transport them all.

The team of lawyers employed by Riggs Oil was already at the courthouse, monitoring Jason’s transfer from jail. The judge was allowing Jason to change out of his orange prison jumpsuit for the purpose of the hearing, so Senior had sent over a brand new suit instead.

Traffic was bad and the mood inside the limo was worse. No one spoke. Any attempt at small talk seemed trite and they’d been over the details of the case a thousand times. Rocking with the stop and go of the vehicle, Val braced her hands beside her on the long bench seat. She gazed out the window, but her eyes didn’t see. Her focus was very much internal.

Fighting the knot that had formed in her stomach, she felt the presence of Cambric all around her. They were inside her head, always. Their words ran like ticker tape through her brain until they further affected her body. Soon Cambric would be standing in the same building with her, then the same room. Legally free or not, fear threatened to destroy her.

When they arrived at the courthouse, its massive stone columns cast a much desired shade over the front steps. The pack of reporters that waited there was triple the size of anything Val had encountered before. Microphones were set up on a wooden podium in anticipation of a promised interview with the legal team.

Two of Jason’s attorneys stood waiting at the curb. A man and a woman, both of whom Val had spoken to the day before. They seemed sharp and confident, but wasn’t that what attorneys were paid for?

CT exited the front passenger seat first along with the limo driver. As they walked around to the rear door, Val watched CT button his sport coat, and in that brief moment, recognized the outline of a handgun positioned neatly at his back. Trying to swallow, she found that she had no saliva left. CT had a permit to carry, she remembered from before, but up until this moment the reality of it hadn’t registered.

Before she could think further, the door swung open and Senior stepped out. He was followed closely by Theresa, leaving Val to go next. Sensing her hesitation, Jeremy gave her a firm nod, willing her to steal some of his resolve. She ducked her head in response, then sucked in a breath before relaxing her expression and stepping out.

Sunlight hit her face, cameras clicked, voices shouted, people swarmed. The smell of their bodies in the heat permeated the air.

Keeping her head down, Val paced closely behind Theresa. They walked purposefully into the shade of the wide stone steps and up through the protective doors of the courthouse. Once through security, their group was guided down corridors, up elevators and along hallways until they arrived at the courtroom of the Honorable Judge Allen.

He had sat the bench for over twenty years and had a reputation as a no-nonsense jurist who loved procedure and order of above all else. But is he fair? Jeremy had questioned his father. Val recalled Senior’s smirk and non-committal answer. Depends on which side you’re on, Son.

Heavy doors made up of a dark wood were opened to reveal a room filled with more of the same rich material. Wood spanned the length of benches, lined the walls, curved around the jury box and witness stand. Deep burnt-red carpeting covered the floors. Its thin threads showed the wear of well-trafficked areas down the center aisle and in front of the judge.

More bodies filled the space. Curious on-lookers, who had waited for hours in line to get a seat in the audience, along with a few hand selected news crews, turned to watch.

Val did her best to keep a straight face, though she couldn’t stop her eyes from darting about. She was desperately tracking for some sign of Jason but he hadn’t been brought in yet. The defendant’s table sat empty.

Following Senior and Theresa, Val glanced sideways at the plaintiff’s table and spied the prosecutor. This was not your typical District Attorney. Senior had explained that due to the notoriety of the case, it had been referred to the Attorney General herself. She had been the top of her class in law school and it wasn’t for nothing. She was highly intelligent, calculating and patient. She did her job, and she did it well.

Seeming to sense eyes resting upon her, Attorney General Collins glanced over her shoulder and locked onto Val. Dark eyes appraising, the woman’s expression gave the impression of unhindered confidence and strength. Her jet-black hair was styled neatly in a bob which showed off her high cheek bones and the smooth brown tone of her skin. She appeared neither menacing, nor amenable. But rather gave the air of someone who wanted above all else to win.

Just as Val felt the need to look away, a familiar figure stepped in front of her, effectively blocking her from AG Collins’ view. Serious brown eyes frowned down into her face, the look of intense concern that filled them was palpable.

He had the same crop of short black hair, chiseled jaw and reserved demeanor that he always had. For a moment, a genuine smile creased Val’s lips. It had been many years since they had last seen one another. And after all, in the end it was Agent John Finn who had protected her, hiding her precious secret from all the world.

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