MONDAY, OCTOBER 22
On Monday Jaime headed to Daniels, McCarthy & Associates in time for lunch. Bella brought in salads and sandwiches from La Madeline down the street, and then Savannah, Emilie, and Hayden joined Jaime in the conference room they’d set up for testimony prep.
The moment they finished eating, Hayden brushed the crumbs off her hands and turned to Savannah. “Time to put Jaime through her paces.”
The next hours felt like her friends were determined to force her to answer every possible question twice and the highly unlikely ones three times. Then Caroline joined them at four, and they started again.
At six Jaime gave up as her head pulsed with tension. “I’m done. I’m heading home.”
Emilie pushed to her feet. “You okay?”
“Sure. Tomorrow I’ll expose my deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers and probably a dozen cameras.” If she was lucky it would only be a dozen.
Hayden stood and walked to her. “We’re going to pray for you.”
And they did. They prayed with a power and urgency that humbled Jaime and made her long for that same connection. “You’re going to have to teach me how to pray. Right now I feel like Edmund confronting the White Witch, only without Lucy standing by with a magical elixir that will save my life if I fail.”
“That’s what we’re here for.” Caroline swiped under her eyes and then took Jaime’s hands. “Remember you aren’t alone.”
Hayden pulled out her phone and tapped a note. “I’ll meet you inside the doors at the Russell Senate Office Building. We’ll find the hearing room from there.”
Jaime nodded because she knew her voice would fail her.
“We love you, Jaime.” Emilie took Jaime’s hands and paused until Jaime met her gaze. “I will be praying nonstop.”
“Thank you.” She cleared her throat then gave a watery smile. “I’ll see you on the other side.”
As soon as she arrived home, Simba begged for attention. It was like he could sense her heightened emotion. The cat who tended to be standoffish stretched up until he was practically standing as he begged her to pick him up. She scooped him up and snuggled him close as she watched a meaningless movie.
Her friends’ prayers cycled through her mind. Her faith might be new, but her friends were experts who could guide her if she let them.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23
Tuesday morning their prayers continued to give her strength as she dressed in a power suit. The black pants with matching jacket said no nonsense and serious. It fit like a suit of armor and was her uniform for a day on which she needed to feel invincible. She added a silk shell in a ruby tone and a simple gold chain. With a pair of low heels, she would make a statement but hopefully not distract.
A knock at her door startled her. She placed her hand on her heart and then eased to the door. She glanced through the peephole and felt hope well inside. She opened it and smiled. “Chandler? What are you doing here?”
“I’m driving you to your hearing.”
“Don’t you have to get back to your life?”
“Not yet. The army has crews working on the office space. When I checked on it last night it wasn’t close to ready. So here I am.”
He ran his hands along his front as if his palms might be sweaty, but nah. Cap wouldn’t be nervous.
“That okay?”
“Yes.” Her gaze landed on his lips and she remembered the electricity of his kiss. He must have remembered, too, because he leaned in for a quick, not long enough peck.
“You ready?”
“As I can be.”
She followed him to the elevator and then to his truck. Before long they were at the Russell Senate Office Building and Chandler found a place to park. He came around to open the passenger door for her, but she didn’t budge. “I can’t do this.”
“You can.”
“Please don’t say I’m not alone.”
He frowned at her with a little jerk of his head. “Why?”
“Because I am the only one who’s lived this. I’m the one Dane abused. I’m the one who wears the scars. And if I go through with this testimony I’ll be targeted for life. Any internet search will pull up my shame.”
He took her hands and massaged them with his thumbs. “No. Everyone in that hearing room will know you are one of the strongest women they have met. You have risen above a wound that would undermine many. You have worked hard to become a woman who is not defined by that time.”
“Then why do I still feel like I am?”
Her quiet words broke his heart. “Because you need help replacing those voices. God can do it. And your friends will help. I will too. I will keep telling you everything I see in you until you believe me over those tired-out voices in your head. They are lying to you. I will only speak truth.”
She leaned toward him until her head rested on his shoulder. He reached around her and eased her into a loose hug. When she didn’t fight it, he released a breath.
A minute later she pulled back and then wiped under her eyes. “Thank you.”
“No problem.”
“Will you stay with me?”
“Absolutely.” The fact she wanted him to be there made him want to puff into a larger stance and yell to the world that Jaime Nichols wanted him, a reality he wouldn’t squander.
She blew out a breath, squared her shoulders, and transformed into the Amazon warrior he knew rested inside her. “Let’s go.”
After she stepped from the truck, he took her hand and laced their fingers together. Then they walked together to the building. Inside the doors, Savannah Daniels and Hayden McCarthy waited.
“Ah, there you are.” Hayden gave Chandler a quizzical look. “Mr. Bolton. Thank you for driving Jaime here.”
“My pleasure.”
Savannah studied him, then turned to Jaime. “I’ve confirmed that the hearing location hasn’t changed. Be warned, there’s a bit of a media melee. I’m not sure they’re in place for you, but you could become the story. Are you prepared?”
Jaime bit her lower lip and then nodded. “It’s okay. Let’s get this over with.” After today it would take a reporter minutes to find the criminal charges anyway.
“Good. Follow me.” Savannah led them through a warren of corridors until they reached a large room on the ground floor. The heavy door looked imposing and a man stood at it. “Let me see if I can find Senator Wesley’s assistant. Then we’ll follow his lead on what to do and where to wait.”
Jaime leaned into Chandler’s side. “Sounds like a solid plan.”
A minute later, Savannah was back beside them with a young man in tow. “This is Andy Gomez.”
The young man had swarthy skin and dark hair. He wore a Banana Republic suit with horn-rimmed glasses and dress shoes. “Miss Nichols, thank you for coming.”
Jaime watched him as if deciding whether to like him. “Did I have a choice?”
The twentysomething balanced his hands in front of him. “You always have a choice, but thank you for coming voluntarily. I will let the senator know you are here. Until they’re ready for you, you can wait on one of the benches against the wall.”
Savannah led the way to one, and Chandler placed his hand at the small of Jaime’s back as she followed. Savannah took a call while Jaime stayed quiet.
“You okay?” Chandler wanted to read her mind.
“I will be.”
She would be, and hopefully she’d keep him close so he could be part of the process.
After what felt like a lifetime but was in reality an hour, Mr. Gomez was back. “They’re wrapping up testimony with the prior witness. It will be you and then Mr. Nichols. Come with me.”
Jaime froze. “Is my uncle in there?”
The young man looked at her with a duh expression. “He is.”
Chandler placed his hands on her shoulders. “This is the moment you’ve waited for. Your opportunity to tell the truth in front of your uncle and others who can hold him accountable.”
She nodded, but her face had blanked somehow, like she heard the words but couldn’t process them.
Savannah eased to her feet and thanked Gomez. “We’ll be right behind you.” Then she turned to Jaime. “You still okay?”
Jaime nodded as her mouth opened and shut without sound.
Hayden took Jaime’s hands and said a quick prayer over her.
Following a chorus of amens, Savannah picked up her briefcase and nodded to Gomez to open the door. “Let’s get on with this. Nothing like stepping into the lion’s den.”
Chandler straightened into his don’t-mess-with-me stance. “It’s not that bad.”
Then Andy opened the door.