“When did you sign the final contract to obtain ownership of—”
“I never signed anything.”
All business and attitude, the woman walked over and picked up what he assumed was the contract in question. “Is this not your signature?”
He looked at it, confirmed it was indeed for Hannah’s property. “No. It is not.” He spoke clearly, making no mistake. Never once taking his eyes from Hannah. Willing her to make eye contact, to believe him.
“Ten signatures were compared and the results say it is your signature.”
“I did not sign that paper. I’ve never even seen that paper.”
“So you’re saying what? That your signature was forged?”
“Well, since it’s my name, and I didn’t write it, yes. I’m saying it was forged.”
The lawyer sighed, changed gears. “What do you know about the canisters of acetone found in the woods near your home?”
“Nothing.”
“So you’ve never seen them before?”
“Never seen them. Never touched them. My prints weren’t on them, and if you remember, the fire chief already said even he couldn’t be sure that’s what was used.”
“Yes. I remember the testimony. Thank you.” She sneered at him. “You stated earlier, before you were sworn in, that you left Winnie, Ms. Walker’s palomino, outside the barn that day. Do you wish to change that statement?”
With his eyes on Hannah’s he answered, “No. I do not.”
“Do you understand the penalty for lying under oath?”
“Yes.” And he’d do it a million times to save her.
“So you left her horse out?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t remember. We’d gone riding and when we came back, I unsaddled her and put her in the turnout paddock.”
“Why did you go riding that day? Was it to get another look at the property your company was purchasing?”
“No.”
“What did you do?”
“We had a picnic.”
“Did you have sex with Ms. Walker?”
He took a second, hating to say things he knew she wouldn’t want said. “I was with Hannah, yes.”
“Sexually?”
He ground his teeth and gave the ADA a look filled with warning and hatred before he finally answered. “Yes.”
The lawyer gave the female judge a look. “A clever way for a man to distract a woman.”
Stephen brought his eyes back to Hannah, but she was looking down. Crying? He didn’t know his chest could be this tight and not crack. “I was the one distrac—”
“One more question, Mr. McKinney. If you didn’t sign that contract, who did? Do you know anyone who would be able to duplicate your signature in such an exact forgery?”
“Yes. Dave Pietro. My partner.”
The room dissolved into murmurs. Dave glared, then leaned to whisper in Camila’s ear. How had he not seen years ago what the man really was?
“The state calls Dave Pietro, Your Honor.”
The ADA worked Dave over for a while, not really caring who went down as long as someone did.
Stephen’s chest had hurt to the point he thought he might be having a heart attack as Dave laid it all out. How the city was first pursuing it as an eminent domain case, which was a shaky claim. Then they’d switched to intestacy after learning there was no will. Something he’d told Dave.
He looked over at Hannah then. Saw her face pale even more.
Chapter 46
“Hannah!” Outside the courthouse, Stephen hurried after her, intent on taking this moment when her watchdog brothers were distracted enough to give her a few inches of space.
“Hannah.” He touched her arm and she turned, her eyes slamming into his. Finally, after two weeks, and he didn’t know what to say.
Her gaze flicked over his shoulder and he knew he didn’t have much time. “I didn’t set that fire. And I didn’t know about Dave’s deal.”
Her eyes searched his and, God, he ached at the uncertainty. Full of shadows and closed off from him.
“That day you came out to the barn. You said it was to apologize.”
“I did want to apologize.” But that’s not why he’d been there and he wouldn’t lie to her. No matter what, he wouldn’t do that. “Yes. I was looking at the property, but I knew I didn’t want it. I was only—”
“You lied.” She pinned him with wounded eyes. “You pretended not to know what was going on the entire time and you did. You told me not to worry about it.”
“I’m sorry. I should have told you. I—”
“Was it ever about me?”
The question and the look in her eyes when she asked were a direct hit, the punch to his heart instant and vicious. “It was always about you.” He took a step toward her and with tears welling, she took a step back.
“Was I your opponent? Was it all just you trying to find out what it took to win?”
His throat was raw as he tried to speak.
She shook her head, looking so tired. “I was wrong again. I should have been afraid of you after all.” She spun and started down the steps again.
Desperate, he grabbed her arm. “I didn’t know Dave went behind my back. You have to believe that.”
She turned, her eyes a storm of confusion and disappointment. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”