Janet was up earlier than usual, sipping coffee in her bed. She was anticipating the upcoming courtroom date and the conversation she had with Cas— the accused lingered in her mind. She hadn't expected him to be so easy on the eyes. Instead of the rugged hardened look she had associated with drug dealers, she found herself facing one of the most masculine, attractive men she had seen in a long while.
He was well-spoken, articulate, and sharp. He seemed smart enough that he could actually sense that she was hiding something from him.
He was a drug dealer anyway, in that line of business, one had to be incredibly aware of body language.
The good thing is that he agreed to her proposal. Janet had ensured she would be the one standing as his defense lawyer in court after discovering his reputation in the underworld. She hoped that her plan —their plan—would work out. Janet and her sister had been on this case for a while. It was just the two of them who knew why this case mattered so much. Janet didn't trust anyone else to discuss her history with HENNEDY. Definitely not Cas.
Yet his face haunted her thoughts. His eyes— deep brown, always squinting with suspicion. His straight nose, perfectly aligned with the sharp planes of his face. Even his lips, dry and cracked at the time, stirred her imagination. She wondered how they might look like when dampened with his saliva…or hers.
The dark gray vest he wore, fitted enough to trace the outline of his moderately ripped body. Each slow, steady breath distracted her further. She spotted no tattoos. She caught herself wondering if there might be any hidden beneath his vest.
Her phone rang, jolting her out of her thoughts. Who could be calling this early? She glanced at the screen—it was her sister. Janet picked.
Her sister's voice from the other side said almost immediately "Couldn't sleep too?"
"You don't sound like you got enough sleep yourself," Janet replied, her tone faintly amused.
Her sister exhaled "I'm nervous, Janet. The next stage after this will be dangerous, especially now that we are involving a literal lord in the underworld to help us. I can't stop thinking about all the things that could go wrong."
Janet drew in a slow breath. "We don't have much of a choice and…time is running out."
Her sister fell quiet for a few moments then said "What if he betrays us? People like Cas don't keep their end of a bargain with people like us."
"Cas also has something at stake too."
Janet reminded her "Proving his innocence and finding his close friend who framed him."
Her sister sighed. She was against being allies with Cas from the moment Janet had suggested it but Janet was desperate now— and didn't care what she had to risk to get to HENNEDY.
"I'll see you in court sis." Then she hung up.
Janet swallowed hard. She more than anyone hoped that the plan she had in mind would
work out.
* *
Janet scanned the courtroom, it was packed, every seat filled. Of course, a lot of people wanted to attend to witness the downfall of HENNEDY. Only this wasn't him.
She had chosen a dark beige suite that peeked through the front of her black robe, the white wig above completing the look. When everyone was seated, the judge requested the presence of the accused.
Two police men escorted Cas inside, one of them the same officer who had taken her to see him the day before. This time, Cas wore the yellow two-piece uniform used to identify prisoners.
As he walked towards the dock, his gaze locked onto hers. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, and then he did the most random thing— something that made her insides clench. He dampened his lips slightly but it was easily the sexiest thing she had ever seen.
She also noticed how the women in the courtroom shifted the moment he appeared. She didn't blame them. Cas was undeniably attractive.
She met her sister's gaze. Her sister was still eying her with uncertainty about the situation. Janet smiled to reassure her.
When Cas was settled in his dock. The judge asked the state prosecutor to come forward to speak.
A few moments after the prosecutor was done crucifying HENNEDY's reputation and insisting Cas was no doubt the one, it was Janet's turn to speak.
"I believe he's innocent, my lord," Janet said
The court murmured. The judge ordered good behavior and proceeded to speak "You're a lawyer hired by the state to stand for Mr Cas and you already came to the conclusion he's innocent?"
"Yes, my lord. HENNEDY is not invisible— he's a man. A man who has a face. Mr Cas does not meet the description of HENNEDY and I have evidence proving he was in the church at the time of the setup."
The Prosecutor seemed absolutely furious "Objection my lord."
Too late! The judge was already invested in whatever Janet had to say "Objection overruled." Then turned back to Janet "May I see your evidence?"
"Yes, your honor," Janet answered
A lady walked in with a little girl barely eleven years old. Everyone in the courtroom recognized her. She looked healthier, better fed—the same little girl who had been retrieved from HENNEDY. She was brought to the witness stand.
Janet approached her gently with a smile "Hello, Stacy."
Stacy bowed her head, obviously shy before the crowd in the courtroom
"Hello, Miss Janet."
"We're all friends here, Stacy. You've been very brave, and everyone wants to help you feel safe again." Janet stepped closer to the witness stand "I know you don't like to talk about the bad man, but what you say now can help us stop him."
Stacy raised her gaze to Janet, giving her a reassuring look. Janet nodded in response. "Stacy, in your time with HENNEDY, did you ever get to see his face or hear his voice?"
Stacy hesitated before she spoke "Yes. I remember him." She sniffed "He was never scared of showing us his face." Stacy rubbed the brand name HENNEDY had scarred her with as she spoke.
Janet decided to give the little girl a short break and called for her sister. "Detective Mirabel, please present the recorded evidence of the call between Cas and his friend to this court."
Her sister stepped forward and presented a record device to the judge. It played, and the court listened to the exchange between Cas and his friend, Jack, who was convincing Cas to come to his aid so they could help him get out of the state because of a fabricated situation.
The judge looked at Janet "And…?"
He was indirectly asking her for what other proof she had. Janet headed back to Stacy. "Stacy, I need you to identify if the man I'll take you to right now is HENNEDY."
Stacy nodded and Janet led her to Cas. As they approached. Janet noticed the little girl's face turning pink, she wondered if that was the same way she had reacted the first time she saw Cas.
He stood at six feet three. Even prison clothes could not reduce his aura. Janet turned to the little girl when they stopped in front of the dock " Stacy, do you recognize this man?"
Stacy shook her head then Janet looked back at Cas "Mr Cas, could you please introduce yourself to the court?"
Cas cleared his throat "My name is Cas."
Janet heard a faint giggle from some women in the crowd.
Turning back to Stacy she said, "Do you recognize his voice?"
Stacy shook her head again. Janet looked back at the judge "This is all I have for the defense my lord— and a condition for the accused to prove his innocence." She didn't need to see Cas's face to realize her last statement had shocked him.
The Judge looked back at the prosecutor and asked "Anything to contradict this. Prosecutor."
The Prosecutor looked defeated and shrugged "No your honor." he turned to Janet "In fact, I'm curious to hear the condition Miss Janet has to offer to Mr Cas to prove his innocence."
The attention of the entire courtroom returned to Janet. She felt a wave of her nerves, and her sister's gaze locked even more intently on her.
Janet began "Mr Cas knows his way around in the underworld well enough, and it's certain that he'll be of great help to us in our search for HENNEDY."
The judge was silent for a few moments before asking "Counsel, are you requesting bail for the accused to enable him to prove his case?"
Janet held the judge's gaze with confidence; she couldn't afford to look unsure now. "Yes, your honor. Mr Cas is a better asset when he's free—though still confined to the law."
The judge turned back to the crowd and announced "According to Counsel Janet, who has declared a reasonable defense for Mr Cas. My judgment is to let the accused prove his innocence by serving as an asset to the state in discovering HENNEDY."
He then struck the gavel and dismissed the courtroom.