“You’ve seen him?”
She nodded. “I’ve been attending the trial.”
“You have to catch me up on that. I need to know everything.”
Chapter 19
I stuffed a huge bite of hamburger in my mouth and leaned my head back against the leather headrest in Carlin’s car. The window was down halfway as a warm breeze tumbled in, tossing my hair about playfully. I tried not to think for a moment. I just sat there, letting the sunlight burn into my skin and enjoyed the warmth of it, enjoyed the feeling of the taste of a greasy hamburger in my mouth. I tried to relax myself entirely, knowing that my fate would soon be determined with what the jury decided, that Emry’s verdict was also my own.
“So, you ready to know what’s been going on in there?” Carlin asked, gulping down a sip of her sweet tea and then putting it back in the cup holder beside her.
I sighed and then looked over at the courthouse in front of us. The sight of it worried me. I guess quiet meditation time was over. “Yeah, let’s hear it.” “They had this witness come forward. I think Helig was her name?”
“Stacy Helig.”
“Right. Do you know about her?”
I nodded. “I know what Emry told me about her, that she wasn’t even there and that somehow they had probably paid her off to get her to say that she was there knowing it was her word against his.” “Oh.” Carlin picked up her sweet tea again and held it in her hand. “Well, she did a good job at pretending she was there then.” “Thanks, Carlin. I mean it.”
She gave me a look of uncertainty. “For what now?”
“For being on my side.”
“I’ve always been on your side, kid.” She gave me a quick wink.
I laughed and finished off the rest of the hamburger.
“She gave all these details about Wes and how he had been pushed by Emry and even knew the details of where he had fallen on the ground.”
I sighed irritated. “Of course she did because they knew that and coached her.” She shrugged. “Right. So this Helig woman was pretty convincing. I was sure it was all downhill from there for poor Emry.” “Great.”
“No, but listen. Emry has this top notch lawyer.”
“Really? How’d he afford that?”
Carlin made a loud slurping sound as she sucked down the rest of her tea with a straw. “No idea. But he’s really good. I mean, really good. He made that Helig woman look like a fool, even made her stumble a few times. You should’ve seen the look on Mrs. Anderson’s face when he did that. It took all I had not to laugh out loud.”
I saw a few people walk up the steps of the courthouse and go inside. I still didn’t feel ready to see Mrs. Anderson, Lauren, my father, Buck, nor did I feel ready to see him, Emry. It had been so long. What if he didn’t even notice me there?
“So then they questioned Emry,” Carlin continued. “He was very straight forward and kind of quiet in his manner. He never got upset or lost his temper.” “Not violent enough to be a criminal, huh?” I smiled.
“If his only crime is breaking hearts.”
I glared at her.
“Sorry.”
“So how did he do against their lawyer? Did they trip him up?”
“Not at all actually. He said that Stacy Helig wasn’t even there, that he thought there was some sort of underlying conspiracy going on behind his back, that he wasn’t sure why, and then his lawyer jumped in and connected all the dots with the conspiracy, that no one had any real proof on him, that Wes and him were best friends. Wes’s mother even was called as a witness to say how wonderful of a person Emry is, how Wes and him would’ve never fought, that it had to have been a huge misunderstanding. I mean, if Wes’s own mother can assume it an accident, how can the jury not? The victim’s own mother doesn’t believe Emry could’ve killed her son.”
I thought about it all for a moment. “So was anything brought up about black magic, anything said along those lines?”
“Actually, yes. What do you know about that?” Carlin asked me. Another gust of wind came in through the open window and I inhaled deeply, my lungs welcoming it. “Well, that’s what they’re accusing him of. There was some sort of incident between Emry and Buck, and Buck ran off and told Mrs. Anderson and they deemed him a worshipper of the devil.”
Carlin let out a loud chuckle. “Too funny. That’s exactly what Emry’s lawyer made it out to be, too, a huge joke. He made Buck look like a total fool.” “Buck was questioned?”
“Yeah. Buck isn’t very smart is he?”
“Not at all.”
Carlin smiled as she must’ve been remembering Buck’s face as Emry’s lawyer interrogated him. “The lawyer was like, look at Emry Logan looking all satanic with his piercings and gothic mannerisms. Everything about him just screams the dark side.”
Now I burst out laughing. It sounded more nervous than happy, but I was so thrilled to be hearing how well the trial had gone for him. It was giving me more hope by the minute.
“They tried to bring in his past offenses. I don’t know. His lawyer seemed to all prove them as moot, that they had never been proven either, and that this whole thing was based upon a group of people that just didn’t like Emry and had built up a case around him that didn’t have any solid foundation to it whatsoever.”
More cars pulled up and a few more people entered the building. We both sat there in the silence for a few moments. Then Carlin turned toward me.
“Listen, I want you to be careful in there. I mean, I don’t know what could possibly happen. I doubt much, but still. Everyone will be in there, but I’ll be by your side, like I should’ve been all along.” I stared at her, dumbfounded by her sudden motherly nature about her, surprised that she had it in her, but I supposed it had been there all along. She had been bitter all these years, not just about Russell, but about me, too. She had tried to make the right decision for both of us at the time, and I agreed, fourteen was very young. How could I be angry with her? How could I not sympathize with her? We were two lost souls drifting around this world without a seemingly knowing cause, the men we loved out of reach. She was trying to help me make mine somehow within my reach.
“They’re going to be furious with you, too,” I said, reminding her of her role in my escape and how easily they would guess her involvement.
“Those people don’t scare me.” She chuckled lightly. I wasn’t sure if it was just a cover-up. Maybe they really did frighten her on some level. “So, you ready for this?” I inhaled deeply and then let it all out trying to rid myself of the butterflies starting to accumulate rapidly in my stomach. I was dying to see Emry’s face again, but I was terrified of his reaction. I was terrified that he was going to hear the word guilty. I was terrified that he was going to reject me.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Carlin got out of the car and hurried over to my side. She opened my door and pulled out the crutches, then helped me up and onto them. “You good?”
I nodded, the anxiety overwhelming me as I felt like I was about to enter the dragon’s lair. “We’re a little late going in for the verdict, you know.”
“Are we?” I raised my eyebrows up at her, unsure of what she’d meant.
“Well, yeah. I’m sure they haven’t started yet. There’s probably a bunch of preliminary stuff they have to get out of the way beforehand. I just kind of figured it’d be best if we were the last ones in. That way everyone would already be seated inside, and no one could try to stop us before even getting through the doors.”
Carlin was being pretty smart about this whole thing. I don’t know that I would’ve ever thought of that. I gave her an immediate look of both surprise and approval. “Okay then. Let’s do this.”
We walked side by side, estranged mother and daughter, up the courtroom stairs as I hobbled along and she helped to steady me. She opened the heavy front door and I stepped inside. All was quiet. No one else was in sight.
“Down there.” Carlin pointed to an already closed door
just ahead of me on my left. I hesitated but continued, my hands feeling already clammy with sweat as I gripped onto the crutches. We met eyes one last time as she lurched open the door to the courtroom and held it open for me to go inside first. I tried to compose myself as I forced myself in.
Everyone had their backs turned toward me. A group of jurors sat just ahead. They were the only ones facing me. There were rows of benches, and they were mostly already filled up. I didn’t know what to do. Where should I sit? Where was Emry? And then I saw him, just the back of his head, his hair slightly longer than I had remembered, his figure positioned upright as if eager to know what would become of his future as well. My heart instantly leaped into the air, and I actually gasped at the sight of the back of his head. I had to get his attention, but how? No one had noticed I’d come in or even looked my way. And then Carlin stepped in. Her stilettos immediately echoed off the hardwood floor as she took just a few steps forward. Everyone turned their heads to see whose shoes had made that sound.
Great. Good job, Carlin, I thought to myself. I now recognized everyone as I felt the heat of redness gush into my cheeks at the sudden attention. Mrs. Anderson and Lauren were towards the front, closer to Emry. They were gawking at me in astonishment. I wondered if they had been home yet and learned of my sudden disappearance from their comfy little nest of a basement or if just now the realization had hit them. Lauren looked so furious I thought he was about to leap out of his seat and lunge for me. I quickly looked away from them. And then I saw, just a few rows back, my father sitting with some of his police buddies, Buck among them. He, too, look completely dumbfounded that I was standing there at the entrance of the courtroom with Carlin.
“Come on,” Carlin urged me, pulling on my arm toward an empty spot to sit in the back. I started to follow her, but then stopped dead in my tracks. I felt the pair of eyes on me and instantly knew they belonged to him. They could have burned a hole straight through me and if they did, I wouldn’t have cared. I turned toward him and met his stare, his beautiful blue eyes locked on me. His face twisted up in a look of pain as he saw me, and I quickly realized why. I had come in with bruises on my face and on crutches. He probably was imaging the worst, and I knew he was right for thinking so. I had stuck my nose in too far, and this was my consequence, and I knew he could read it all from my face. I pressed my lips together and gave him a little smile. I was glad that he knew I was here, knew that I supported him still, and hoped that deep down he knew that I was madly in love with him still.
I tore myself away from his stare and took a seat beside Carlin. I recognized the woman sitting in front of me. The smell of her cheap perfume invaded my nostrils the moment I got too close to her. It was Candy, Emry’s ex-wife. She gave me an unwelcome look also but then hurried to turn back around so all I could see was the back of her bleached hair in its sprayed to death up-do position.
As I set the crutches up beside me and leaned them against the side of the bench, I looked over toward Emry once again. He put up his hand and waved to me in front of everyone there and added a gentle smile as he did so. My mouth dropped open. Everyone immediately stared at me once again. I felt tears well up in my eyes at the gesture, and I too raised my hand to give him a little wave. And then I watched as he turned back around and faced forward.
I felt Carlin put her hand on mine and realized that my hand was shaking in a nervous tremor. I had gotten through the worst of it. I was here. I had made it. No one had stopped us. No one had tried to kill me ... yet.
After several minutes, a short man with a bald head came to the front of the room. I immediately realized he was the judge, and my heart began to speed up once again. The anticipation in the room was thick and heavy.
“Good afternoon,” the man bellowed out.
“Good afternoon,” everyone mumbled back.
He put on a pair of glasses and looked out at Emry sitting before him. “We are at a conclusion to the trial of Mr. Emry Logan and the charge of the murder of Weslie Campbell. Mr. Logan has pled not guilty. Jurors, have you made a decision?”
A thin, tall man stood. He was at the end of the group of jurors. “We have, your Honor.” “Good. Please come forward.”
The juror walked up to the judge and handed him a piece of paper. The judge inspected it for a few moments and then took the glasses back off his face, folded them and set them down on the desk in front of him.
“On the charge of first degree murder of Weslie Campbell, how have you found Emry Logan?” the judge asked.
The tall man smoothed his hand down over the jacket of his suit. I thought it seemed like an eternity before he opened his mouth.
“We find the defendant, not guilty.” “Oh my,” I hissed, relief rushing over me. Had he really just said those words or had I misheard them? I looked over at Carlin who had a huge smile on her face. She shrugged. The whole room began buzzing in awe and surprise. It was obvious that the majority of them totally disagreed with the decision the jurors had made. I, on the other hand, was so happy I almost was tempted to start crying right there. “Does that mean he’s free?”
“Free,” Carlin repeated, nodding.
Mrs. Anderson immediately stood and made a big production about stomping out of the courtroom. She scowled at me before exiting the room. I watched Lauren follow. He, however, did not bother to look down at me.
“Well, congratulations, Mr. Logan,” the judge said. “It appears you have your answer.” I wanted to go over to Emry right away before my father or Buck could get to me first. I didn’t want to talk to them. I reached out for my crutches as I saw Emry stand and shake the hand of the man next to him. I realized that that must be his top notch attorney as Carlin had described him. He was older but very neat and well-kept. He smiled at Emry and shook his hand furiously as I was sure they were both exchanging excited words about their victory.
“Carlin?”
“Huh?”
“Who is Emry’s lawyer?”
She took a moment to try to recall the name. “I think it was something like Ben. Ben Hanley, I believe.”
“Hanley?” The word sliced through me just then like a knife. I immediately became stricken with panic. I knew exactly where I had heard that name before. When I had visited the town of Elverson and ran into the little girl named Lucy and she had brought me into her mother’s house who had told me about a woman named Hanley, the same woman presumed to have been Mrs. Anderson, perhaps her maiden name, but the same person.
Carlin instantly read my face. “Why do you look like that? What’s wrong?” I closed my eyes for a moment as I felt Emry’s tiny moment of freedom, of happiness vanishing quickly moment by moment. Mrs. Anderson had planned this whole thing out. She didn’t want him to be sentenced as guilty. She wanted him free to walk out of here so she could have him killed. I felt the tremor return in my hand and I felt wobbly even with the crutches.
“Annie?” Carlin reached her arms out as if she were about to catch me if I passed out. “Are you okay?”
“No. It’s bad, very bad,” I mumbled.
A crowd of people still lingered in the courtroom. I caught another glimpse of Emry speaking with his attorney still and another man who had approached him.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know.” I had to think fast but my mind was spinning. How could I stop this from happening? “You said his name’s Ben Hanley.”
“So?” “There was another case similar to this one. I don’t have time to tell you the whole story, but another guy was found innocent just like this and was murdered as he left the courtroom. The woman believed to be involved in helping to get that man behind bars originally was named Hanley also.”
She gave me a stumped expression. “I’m really not following.” I sighed irritated that she couldn’t understand, but really, how could she? She had no idea what was going on. I was the only one in this entire room besides those who had evil intentions for Emry who even had a clue. “It was Mrs. An
derson. Mrs. Anderson’s name used to be Hanley. That man’s name is Hanley. Don’t you see? They’re related. They have to be.”
Carlin looked past me to see where Ben Hanley stood. “Like siblings?”
I shrugged.
“You think Mrs. Anderson is going to try to kill Emry when he leaves the building?” She was finally catching on. I nodded.
“Are you sure?”
My stomach felt like there was a brick in it. I felt as if I could throw up at any moment, but I had other things to worry about than my emotions. I tried to focus on how I could get Emry out of here, alive. “If that guy is her relative somehow, maybe he was in on it,” I whispered. “This was all a scheme of hers. Don’t you see? Ben Hanley was in on it. He’s working with her so Emry will get out of the building and that’ll give her or someone she’s hired the chance to get a shot at him.”
“I don’t know how you know all this,” Carlin said. “But you have to go to him and tell him everything you’ve just told me.” My eyes skimmed over the thinning crowd of people. I saw Emry now turned in my direction. It looked like he was searching for me as well. Our eyes met. Sadness flooded over me at the thought of someone trying to kill him, of someone wanting him dead. He was too beautiful to be lifeless. He was too beautiful to be mine, but I wanted him, selfishly so. Then he smiled.
I started to make my way over to him, struggling with the crutches on the way. And then I stood before him, finally. There were no barriers between us. There was just us face to face. I felt the tears rush into my eyes as I buried my face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight just letting me cry on him for a moment. Then I bent my head backwards and peered up at him. He grinned again.
“What happened to you?” he asked.
I wiped away the wetness from my face with my arm. “You don’t want to know.”
Strange in Skin Page 29