District Court? I was so not ready for district court. I looked frantically around the mayhem surrounding me. How could I possibly go to court right now? “Where is everyone else?”
Clarice grabbed my arm and tugged me toward the door. “Frank and Alice are up in Boundary County prosecuting that timber trespass case. Melanie went into labor last night and is still pushing another one of her devil children out. Matt is with the police investigating that missing kid case. And Scot was just dragged out of here in cuffs.” Reaching the doorway, which was still open, she tried to shove me through it. “That leaves you.”
I dug my heels in.
The agent who’d been so determined to get his hands on the Stan Lee photo rushed my way. “You can’t take documents out of here.”
Relief swept me so quickly I didn’t have time to feel guilty about it.
Clarice turned and glared. “These are just two case files, and the judge is waiting for the arraignment hearings.” Flipping open the top one while it settled precariously in my hands, she tapped the first page with her finger. Hard. “Feel free to take a look.”
Ah, darn it. The agent scrutinized the first page and then the too few other pages before looking at the second file folder. I should’ve protested the entire situation, but my knees froze in place. So did my brain. I really didn’t want to go to district court. Finally, the agent grimaced. “All right. You can take those.” He moved back to the reception area like a bull about to charge.
I leaned in toward the paralegal. “Call everyone back here. Now.” I needed somebody with a lot more legal experience than I had to deal with this.
Clarice nodded. “You got it.” Then she shoved me—pretty hard—out the door. “Go to court.”
The flower-scented air attacked me as I turned and strode down the steps into the nice spring day just as news vans from the adjacent city screeched to a halt in front of my building, which housed the prosecuting attorney’s offices, the public defender’s offices, and the DMV. The brick structure formed a horseshoe around a wide and very green park with the courthouse, police station, and county commissioner offices set perpendicular to my building. Directly across sat Timber City Community College, which stretched a far distance to the north as well. The final side held the beach and Lilac Lake.
Ducking my head, I took a sharp right, hit the end of the street, and turned for the courthouse. The building had been erected when the timber companies and the mines had been prosperous in the area and was made of deep mahogany and real marble brought in from Italy. Instead of walking downstairs like I had the last two weeks, I climbed up a floor to the district court level. It even smelled different than the lower floors. More like lemon polish and something serious. Oh yeah. Life and death and felonies. My knees wobbled, so I straightened my blue pencil skirt and did a quick check of my white blouse to make sure I hadn’t pitted out.
Nope. Good. I shouldn’t be too scared, because the pseudo-metropolis of Timber City had only 49,000 residents, roughly the same as a large state college. But compared to my hometown of Silverville, which was about fifty miles east through a mountain pass, this was the big city.
My wedges squeaked on the gleaming floor, and I pushed open the heavy door and made my way past the pews to the desk to the right, facing the judge’s tall bench. My temples started to thrum. I remained standing at the table and set down the case files before flipping open the first one.
A commotion sounded, and two men strode in from the back, both wearing fancy gray suits. I recognized the first man, and an odd relief took me again, even though he was clearly there as the defendant’s attorney and on the opposite side of the aisle as me. “Mr. O’Malley,” I murmured.
He held out his hand. “Call me Chuck, Anna.” He was a fishing buddy of my dad’s and had been for years. “They’ve thrown you into District Court already?”
I shifted my feet. “It’s a long story.” That would be public shortly. “The DEA took Scot away in handcuffs,” I said.
Chuck straightened, his gray eyebrows shooting up. “Charges?”
“The warrant said something about narcotics.” We were on different sides right now, and Chuck was a phenomenal criminal defense attorney, but the truth was the truth and would be out anyway. “He probably needs a good lawyer.”
“I’ll check it out after this hearing.” Chuck’s eyes gleamed the same way they did when my Nonna Albertini brought her apple pie to a community picnic. He nodded at his client, a guy in his late twenties with a trimmed goatee and thinning hair. “This is Ralph Ceranio. He’s pleading not guilty today.”
Thank goodness. That just meant we would set things for trial.
Chuck smiled. “Unless you agree to dismiss.”
I smiled back. “I’d like to keep my job for another week.” Probably. “So, no.”
Chuck turned as the bailiff entered through a side door by the bench and told everyone to stand, even though we were already standing. Then Judge Hallenback swept in.
Oh my. My mouth dropped open, and I quickly snapped it shut. It was rumored the judge had been going downhill for some time, and I was thinking that for once, rumors were right. While he had to only be in his mid-sixties, maybe he had early dementia? Today he wore a customary black robe with a charming red bow tie visible above the fold. It contrasted oddly with the bright purple hat with tassels hanging down on top of his head. A bunch of colorful drawn dots covered his left hand while a grey and white striped kitten was cradled in his right, and he hummed the anthem to Baby Got Back as he walked.
He set the cat down and banged his gavel, opening a manila file already on his desk. “Elk County vs Ralph Ceranio for felony counts of fraud, theft, and burglary.”
I swallowed.
“My client pleads not guilty and requests a jury trial, your honor,” Chuck said, concern glowing in his eyes. He and the judge had probably been friends for years, too.
“Bail?” the judge asked, yanking open his robe to reveal a Hallenback’s Used Car Lot T-shirt. Oh yeah. The judge and his brother owned a couple of car dealerships in the area. If he retired now, he’d be just fine. “Hello? Prosecuting attorney talk now,” he muttered.
I quickly read Scot’s notes. “Two hundred thousand dollars. The defendant is a flight risk, your honor. He has access to a private plane and several vehicles.”
“Everyone has a private plane. Heck. I even have one.” The judge shook his head before Chuck could respond. “Fifty thousand dollars. How many days do you need for trial?”
I had no clue. I didn’t even know the case.
“Probably a week, Judge,” Chuck said, helping me out.
I could only nod.
“All right.” The judge reached for a calendar and announced the date six months away. “See ya then.”
Chuck patted my shoulder. “I’ll be in touch.”
I swallowed again, wanting to beg him to stay with me for the second hearing. But I had to at least act like I had a clue what I was doing. The bailiff, a brawny guy whose nightstick somehow looked thicker than usual, moved for the door he’d emerged from earlier and opened it. He grabbed an arm covered by an orange jumper while I shuffled the files and looked down, trying to read Scot’s mangled notes. Hopefully I could get caught up quickly.
The judge slammed down his gavel again. “Elk County vs. Aiden Devlin for narcotics possession and intent to distribute.”
I stilled. Everything inside me, from thoughts to feelings to dreams and hard reality, just halted. I slowly turned to face a tall man dressed in an orange jumpsuit. Oh my God. “Aiden,” I whispered, the entire world grinding to a harsh stop.
He smiled, his eyes bluer than I remembered, his face much more rugged. “Hi, Angel.”
Also by & READING ORDER of the Series’
I know a lot of you like the exact reading order for a series, so here’s the exact reading order as of the release of this book, although if you read most novels out of order, it’s okay.
* * *
&nbs
p; THE ANNA ALBERTINI FILES
Disorderly Conduct (Book 1)
Bailed Out (Book 2)
Adverse Possession (Book 3)
Holiday Rescue novella (Novella 3.5)
Santa’s Subpoena (Book 4)
Holiday Rogue (Novella 4.5)
LAUREL SNOW SERIES
You Can Run (Book 1)
You Can’t Hide (Book 2) - 2022
DEEP OPS SERIES
Hidden (Book 1)
Taken Novella (Book 1.5)
Fallen (Book 2)
Shaken (in Pivot Anthology) (2.5)
Broken (Book 3)
Driven (Book 4)
Unforgiven (Book 5) - June 7, 2022
REDEMPTION, WY SERIES
Rescue Cowboy Style (Novella in the Lone Wolf Anthology)
Christmas story 2022 (subscribe to newsletter)
Novellas 3&4 in summer 2023
Book # 1 launch in 2024
Dark Protectors / Realm Enforcers / 1001 Dark Nights novellas
Fated (Dark Protectors Book 1)
Claimed (Dark Protectors Book 2)
Tempted Novella (Dark Protectors 2.5)
Hunted (Dark Protectors Book 3)
Consumed (Dark Protectors Book 4)
Provoked (Dark Protectors Book 5)
Twisted Novella (Dark Protectors 5.5)
Shadowed (Dark Protectors Book 6)
Tamed Novella (Dark Protectors 6.5)
Marked (Dark Protectors Book 7)
Wicked Ride (Realm Enforcers 1)
Wicked Edge (Realm Enforcers 2)
Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers 3)
Talen Novella (Dark Protectors 7.5)
Wicked Kiss (Realm Enforcers 4)
Wicked Bite (Realm Enforcers 5)
Teased (Reese -1001 DN Novella)
Tricked (Reese-1001 DN Novella)
Tangled (Reese-1001 DN Novella)
Vampire’s Faith (Dark Protectors 8) ***A great entry point for series, if you want to start here***
Demon’s Mercy (Dark Protectors 9)
Vengeance (Rebels 1001 DN Novella)
Alpha’s Promise (Dark Protectors 10)
Hero’s Haven (Dark Protectors 11)
Vixen (Rebels 1001 DN Novella)
Guardian’s Grace (Dark Protectors 12)
Vampire (Rebels 1001 DN Novella)
Rebel’s Karma (Dark Protectors 13)
Immortal’s Honor (Dark Protector 14)
Garrett’s Destiny- 2022
Warrior’s Hope - 2023
SIN BROTHERS/BLOOD BROTHERS spinoff
Forgotten Sins (Sin Brothers 1)
Sweet Revenge (Sin Brothers 2)
Blind Faith (Sin Brothers 3)
Total Surrender (Sin Brothers 4)
Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers 1)
Lethal Lies (Blood Brothers 2)
Twisted Truths (Blood Brothers 3)
SCORPIUS SYNDROME SERIES
**This is technically the right timeline, but I’d always meant for the series to start with Mercury Striking.
Scorpius Syndrome/The Brigade Novellas
1. Scorpius Rising
2. Blaze Erupting
3. Power Surging - Winter 2021
4. Hunter Advancing - Winter 2021
Scorpius Syndrome NOVELS
1. Mercury Striking (Scorpius Syndrome 1)
2. Shadow Falling (Scorpius Syndrome 2)
3. Justice Ascending (Scorpius Syndrome 3)
4. Storm Gathering (Scorpius Syndrome 4)
5. Winter Igniting (Scorpius Syndrome 5)
6. Knight Awakening (Scorpius Synd. 6)
MAVERICK MONTANA SERIES
Against the Wall
Under the Covers
Rising Assets
Over the Top
Bundle of Books 1-3
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has published more than fifty romantic-suspense and dark paranormal novels, which have been translated into several languages, with millions of copies sold world-wide. Her books have received Publisher’s Weekly starred reviews, won RT Reviewer Choice awards, have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Woman’s World and Women’s Day Magazines, have been included in Amazon best books of the year, and have been favorably reviewed in both the Washington Post and the New York Times Book Reviews. Rebecca has ridden in a locked Chevy trunk, has asked the unfortunate delivery guy to release her from a set of handcuffs, and has discovered the best silver mine shafts in which to bury a body…all in the name of research. Honest. Find Rebecca at: www.RebeccaZanetti.com
Holiday Rescue: An Albertini Family Romance Page 11