The slightest turn of her head, a tiny shift of her eyes would lead them to his. But no matter how much she avoided him, she still felt his burning gaze. So hot she was sweating. For two weeks all she could see when she thought of him was his face when she’d asked for the truth. His silence and the answer in his eyes couldn’t have been more clear.
Once again she’d misjudged, only this time it hadn’t been her bones crushed, but her heart.
The assistant district attorney came first. Zach had explained that because the city had taken legal ownership of the land before the fire, they needed to pin this arson on someone and get out of the shit storm before they got dirtied.
And the media, fickle as a horny rabbit, was clawing for a story. Love gone wrong, or big government burning out a citizen over a land dispute. They’d swing whichever way proved juiciest.
The ADA was a tallish woman, mid-forties. Her black skirt and jacket were offset by a Christmas-red blouse. She smiled at Hannah, asked if she was comfortable, and the questions started, easy at first. What did she do, how long had she been there. Though she was careful not to lead Hannah into saying anything that might shine a sympathetic spotlight.
“When did you first learn that Trace Development had purchased the property?”
“About two weeks ago.” She sat perfectly still on the edge of the hard seat, held her hands tightly together. The urge to touch her hair was strong. She focused on her brothers, all suited up and serious. Took comfort from Nick’s nod, shoring her up, silently telling her she could do this.
“And who told you?”
“Dave Pietro, Stephen’s…um, Mr. McKinney’s partner.”
“That man?” She pointed to where Dave sat on the other side of Camila.
“Yes.”
“And what did he tell you?”
“Just that it had been sold, and his company had bought it.”
“Were you surprised?”
“Yes.” Surprised. Shocked. Heartbroken.
“Did he say anything else to you?”
“He said…” It was one thing to be gullible, another to sit and tell a roomful of people. She took a breath, and another. “He said he was surprised I didn’t know. That he was surprised Stephen hadn’t told me himself. But then he laughed and said,”—she swallowed and looked down—“he said he really wasn’t, because Stephen always got what he wanted. That no matter what, he didn’t lose.”
There was a muttered “son of a bitch” from across the room. Stephen’s voice. But Hannah kept her eyes trained on the woman in front of her.
“That’s all the questions I have, Your Honor.”
Next came Stephen’s attorney, Andrew Stark. Tough. Relentless. She’d been warned his goal would be to throw a dark enough shadow over her that by the end of it the judge would have no choice but to throw out the case against Stephen.
She’d thought she was prepared.
“When did you meet Stephen McKinney?”
“About two months ago.”
“About the same time you learned that the property on which you currently reside and work was being absorbed by the city?”
“I guess.”
“Yes or no?”
She looked down at her fingers, one hand gripping the other, and tried to relax. “Yes.”
“And how long after you met before you began dating Mr. McKinney?”
“Um…we went to dinner that night.”
“That same night you met?” The lawyer glanced up at the judge, then back to her. “Pretty fast for someone who up to that point had had little contact with men?”
Her already pounding heart seemed to beat all over the place now. A painful and irregular bumping in her chest.
“And how long was it before you were in his bed?”
Oh God. She glanced quickly at her brothers, then away, searching for a safe place to look. There was none. She was alone. Her heart raced and she forced herself to breathe. Did she have to answer?
Andrew Stark was just getting started. “Isn’t it true that you began a sexual relationship with the CEO of Trace Development in order to sway his intentions or possibly convince him to buy the property in question for you personally?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“This is ridiculous!” Nick stood, shouting, and was quickly silenced.
“Another outburst and you’ll be removed,” the judge warned, and Nick sat.
“Isn’t it true that you knew of Mr. McKinney’s intention?”
“No.”
“You expect this court to believe that after twelve years of living a practically solitary life, you just happened to slip into bed with the man set on buying your property, excuse me, not your property, the city’s property?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know if we should believe you?”
“Yes.”
“Excuse me?”
She bit into her lip as her eyes filled with hot tears. “I didn’t know he wanted it.”
“Really?” He looked at the judge again, huffed out a fake laugh. “Did Mr. McKinney ever come out to see the land?”
“Yes.”
“Did he ask you about the property?”
“Yes.”
“Did he ask to go out and look at the property?”
“Yes.” Every yes was another nail in her heartbreaking reality.
“And why did you think he would do that?”