Page 25 of The Captive Missing

An undercurrent of murmuring flowed through the gallery as news of this secret washed over the crowd. Jason Riggs was married? To whom? When? The hushed questions built in momentum until Judge Allen rapped heavily with his gavel, calling for order and threatening to drain the courtroom if silence wasn’t maintained.

You could hear a pin drop.

“Were you aware that Jason adopted his wife’s young son?” AG Collins held a piece of paper in her hand, but Val could not make out what it was.

“Yes,” she answered.

Val’s heart pounded hard against the inside of her chest. This wasn’t a line of questioning they had prepared for because Jason’s attorneys did not know she was actually his wife. They were aware he was married and had adopted a son, but not that it was with her. As a captive born, she knew she could not risk perjuring herself. Any infraction of the law could cost her free status, sending her right back down to where she had begun.

“May I approach, your Honor?”

AG Collins waited for Judge Allen to nod his acceptance before she walked up to Val and handed her the sheet of paper. It was a picture of Jace, his school photo from France. They must have dug up the records somehow, or paid someone off. Val struggled to maintain an expression clear of emotion.

Agency rhetoric sounded in her head, helping her to separate her outward shell from her inner desperation. For what right did a captive have to feel anything for her child? None, because no children belonged to her.

“This is a photo of Jace Riggs.” AG Collins shifted her body to let the gallery see her speak. “He is the son of Kelly Riggs, formerly Kelly Martin before she married the defendant.”

“Objection!” Jason’s attorney leapt again to his feet. “Is there a question in there somewhere?”

“Sustained.”

“I’ll rephrase. Is this your son, Val? Are you Kelly Martin?”

The court erupted with sound as the gallery took in the allegation. AG Collins turned and gave the cameras her best triumphant smile. Jason blanched. His attorneys leaned in to whisper furiously in his face. No doubt they were desperate to know if this was the truth. Senior reached over the partition and did his best to intervene while Judge Allen banged his gavel, shouting for order.

And while chaos reigned around her, Val sought her former protector once more. The words that he had whispered in her ear hours earlier came back to echo in her mind over and over. Agent Finn caught her eye, and in that moment gave the most imperceptible of nods. Now, he seemed to say, use it now.

“I plead the Fifth Amendment,” Val spoke up, causing AG Collins to whirl back. “I am taking the Fifth.”

Chapter 10

“Order! I said order!” Judge Allen banged again with his gavel but to no avail. Gesturing to the bailiff, he ordered the audience on their feet. Slowly, they all stood and shuffled begrudgingly out the far doors. Val sat stiffly in the witness box, forgotten in all the confusion.

As the courtroom drained, only the hushed discussions between attorneys and clients remained. Jason’s family had been allowed to stay, along with Agent Finn and the representatives from Cambric. Now alone in the expanse of gallery, Val was able to pick out two security contractors as well. Their dark tailored suits fit snugly over broad shoulders. CT towered over them all.

“Your Honor, if I may.” Jason’s attorney stood once more and waited for the go ahead from the judge. “We would like to move for a directed verdict in my client’s case at this time.”

“Are you certain?” The judge lifted his eyebrows.

“We are, your Honor. The defendant has been charged with harboring the captive, Gabe, and we believe we have proven he is not guilty of that crime. The identity of his wife and child are of no significance in the matter.”

“So noted.” Judge Allen gave a curt nod before turning to Val. “Is it your intention to invoke the Fifth Amendment?”

“It is, your Honor.” Val studied the man that held the fate of her husband in his hands.

“Then you may step down.”

“Objection, your Honor, if I may.” AG Collins shot to her feet. “We are not done with this witness.”

“Not so fast, Counselor.” Judge Allen frowned. “You forget whose courtroom you are standing in.”

“Yes, your Honor.”

AG Collins sat, but glanced quickly over her shoulder. By the time Val had stepped from the box and walked back to the safety of her seat, the AG had checked the far door twice more. She was waiting for something, or someone.

Jason twisted in his chair, resting one arm along the wooden partition that separated them. Despite the disapproving look from Senior, he grabbed at a loose strand of Val’s hair, tugging gently on the ends. He was playing it cool, trying to reassure her, and the intimate gesture filled her with a dull ache. She bit subconsciously at her lip and saw the wanting response that filled his eyes.

“I have taken all evidence into account in the matter of the State of New York vs. Jason Riggs Junior and have reached a verdict,” Judge Allen announced, causing Jason to whip back around and tense in his chair.

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