Blade smiled at his son across the breakfast table Monday morning. Archie was spooning cornflakes into his mouth, his budgie perched on his shoulder. Every now and then, the child would hand-feed the bird a cornflake and Sherbet would crunch enthusiastically, sending crumbs cascading down onto the table.
“Archie,” Josie said irritably as she entered the kitchen. “You know that Sherbet isn’t allowed at the dining table. It’s not hygienic.”
Archie’s face fell. “Sorry, Mom, but I think he’s scared up in my room by himself. He needs to know that everybody is safe.”
Blade stood up and walked to the sink, where Josie had started to wash some cups and place them in the draining rack. Her movements were swift and absentminded, as though her thoughts weren’t really on the job.
“I think Archie’s transferring his feelings onto Sherbet,” Blade whispered into her ear. “It’s a big day today, what with the start of the trial, and he looks a little apprehensive.” He glanced down at his watch, which showed 6:30 a.m. “I’m pretty sure he got up this early so that he could make sure you were okay.”
Josie put down the dishcloth and turned around, leaning against the kitchen counter. She was wearing a closely fitted navy-blue suit with shiny beige heels, and her hair was tightly wound on top of her head in a neat bun. She looked every inch the confident and accomplished attorney, but her eyes betrayed a sense of unease.
“He looks okay to me,” she said. “Are you sure you’re not imagining things?”
“I don’t think so,” Blade replied. “I’ve known him only three days, but I can read him pretty well.”
Josie clenched her teeth. He saw her jaw tighten and her nostrils flare slightly, as though trying to contain a range of emotions. He and Archie had grown incredibly close over the weekend, spending every possible minute together. At mealtimes, the seat right next to Archie was always reserved for his dad. At playtime, Archie chose soccer, wrestling or rough play with Blade and rejected his mom’s suggestions of board games or baking. And at bedtime, it was Blade who Archie wanted to hear a story from. He knew it must be tough for Josie to adjust to a new regimen, especially when it meant that Blade could spot an anxiety in their son that she had missed.
“Archie,” Josie said softly, going to sit at the table. “Are you okay? Are you worried about anything?”
Archie shook his head and continued to feed cornflakes to Sherbet. “I’m okay, Mom.”
Josie swiveled on her chair and smiled up at Blade. It was a smile that said, I told you so.
But Blade knew better, and he took a seat next to his son. “How is Sherbet doing?” he asked. “Is he worried about anything?”
Archie put his spoon into his bowl and took the bird carefully from his shoulder, cradling it in his hand and stroking its white crested head.
“Sherbet’s not doing so good,” he said, keeping his eyes firmly locked on the budgie. “He knows that the big court thing starts today, and he knows that Mom will be there every day, and he thinks the bad guy might hurt her.”
Josie brought her hand up to her mouth and blinked hard, clearly realizing that Blade had called it correctly after all. Archie was transferring his feelings onto Sherbet because he didn’t want to let his mother down by being scared and needy. She gently pulled her son from his chair and guided him onto her lap, wrapping her arms around his torso and holding him close. Archie nestled into his mother, cradling the bird in both hands.
“Why don’t you tell Sherbet that your dad is going to be Mom’s very own special bodyguard?” Blade said.
As he spoke these words, he saw Josie stiffen, as if she wasn’t really on board with this plan. She had already agreed to it, but not with enthusiasm. Archie, however, received the news with delight, straightening his back and smiling broadly.
“Really? You’re Mom’s bodyguard?”
“Absolutely, kiddo,” Blade said, giving his son a soft chin punch. “We didn’t want to tell you over the weekend, but I’ll be going with your mom to the courthouse every single day, and nobody will have any chance to hurt her while I’m around.”
“Every day?” Archie asked. “Even today?”
Blade looked at the clock on the wall. Josie would be leaving in a half hour to go to the Wichita courthouse. She wanted to be there early on this first day of the trial. He had felt the tension radiating from her all morning.
“Yup,” Blade replied with a smile. “I’ll be there today, and you’ll stay here with Granddad and Detective Pullman.”
“Detective Pullman says I can call him Dave,” Archie said, visibly relaxing. “We’re friends now. He’s awesome at Jenga.”
Blade laughed. “Well, Dave is in charge until we get back this evening, okay? And then you and I can play ball in the yard.”
Josie cleared her throat. “What about me?” She was projecting a playful voice, but he distinctly heard a hurt edge to the words. “Don’t I get to play, too?”
“Sure,” he said. “I just figured that you’d have a ton of work to do this evening.”
“Nothing is more important than playing with my son,” she said strongly. “I’ll find the time.”
Archie hopped off his mother’s lap and headed for the door, seemingly appeased by the news that his dad would be acting as her capable bodyguard.
“Sherbet feels better now,” he said. “I’ll go put him back in his cage.” He turned around as he seemed to remember something important. “School starts tomorrow.” He smiled hopefully. “Do I get to stay home?”
“Yes,” Josie said as she stood up. “But it’s only for a little while, and I’ve arranged for your teacher to send some homework via email, so it’s not a vacation.”
Archie brought Sherbet’s face close to his. “Did you hear that?” he whispered to the bird. “We get to stay home. And we don’t have to go to Aunt Susan’s house.” He kissed Sherbet’s beak. “Yippee.”
Josie shook her head. “It’s amazing how a child’s attitude can change in a heartbeat.”
She sat back down, and Blade put a hand on top of hers. Her fingers were icy cold. “Are you all right? You look nervous.”
“I’m scared to death,” she said, sliding her hand from beneath his. “This is the biggest case I’ve ever handled, and I don’t want to let Norman down.”
“You’ll be just fine,” he said reassuringly. “I know you will.”
She took a deep breath and clasped her hands together on the fabric of her blouse pulled taut across her stomach. “To be honest, the trial isn’t the only thing that’s weighing on my mind.”
“It isn’t?”
She fixed him with her beautiful pale eyes. “I feel like I’m losing Archie to you,” she said. “You’re the only person he wants now. I’m redundant.”
“That’s not true,” he said with a shake of the head. “It’s only natural for Archie to be infatuated with me at first. He’s making up for lost time. It won’t last.”
“But what if it does last?” she said. “What if he decides that you’re the most important person in the world? What if you go back to North Carolina and Archie asks to go with you?” She placed the tip of her index finger in the corner of her eye to flick away the moisture. “It could happen.”
Blade couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re overthinking this, Josie.”
She cut him off angrily. “Don’t tell me what I’m overthinking,” she snapped. “I see my son drifting further and further away every day.”
“But it’s been three days,” he said. “You can’t judge this situation on just three days.”
“Three days will turn into three weeks and into three months and then into three years.” She took a deep breath. “If I don’t do something about it now, then I may be too late.”
Blade moved his chair closer to hers. He caught her delicate scent that reminded him of a candy shop. “Too late for what, Josie?”
She looked down at her lap. “Too late to keep him with me,” she said quietly. “Like I said, he might decide he wants to go live with you, and a family court could rule that it’s in his best interest to be with his dad.” She brought her hands over her face. “Oh, I don’t know. I never anticipated this.”
Blade put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched. “I would never, ever take our son away from you. You should know me better than that.”
She fixed him with another stare. “Do I know you, Blade? I feel like I don’t know a single thing about you anymore.”
“Listen to me,” he said, taking her hand. “I haven’t come here to snatch Archie away. I understand why you’re afraid, but you have no need to be. I have no hidden agenda or ulterior motive. I’m here to build a relationship with the son I never knew I had and make sure you both stay safe. That’s all.”
Josie swallowed hard. Her emotions looked to be threatening to overwhelm her. He couldn’t believe that she thought he was capable of taking her son away from her. That was the last thing on his mind.
“It’s a big day, and you’ll need all your strength to make it through,” he said. “Would it help if we started off today with a prayer?”
A smile passed across her lips, so he took her other hand and clasped them together in his.
“Dear Heavenly Father…”
* * *
Josie strode confidently along the path leading to the Sedgwick County Courthouse in Wichita. She was flanked on either side by Blade and Detective Sykes, and they led her quickly past a small gathering of newspaper photographers who were trying to get a perfect shot of the public defender representing the most hated man in Sedgwick County.
“Step aside,” Detective Sykes ordered, making a sweeping gesture with her hand. Her expression was tense, and she jerked her head quickly, looking in all directions for the presence of possible danger.
The photographers moved away from the path, allowing Josie to walk through the entrance of the dull gray building. With several floors, plenty of windows and no ornate features, the courthouse always reminded her of a big, ugly shoe box. She was a regular visitor there, handling many more cases than just Norman Francis’s, but none had attracted as much attention as this one.
Once inside, they were ushered through security, and Josie saw Blade hand his weapon to the guard. She knew it would be difficult for him to act as her bodyguard while being unarmed. Yet in spite of this, she still found herself surprisingly calmed by his strong presence next to her. Much as she didn’t want to rely on him, his self-assurance and commanding aura were comforting. But she reminded herself that Blade wasn’t the same man as he was years ago. He was now physically challenged, and she couldn’t expect him to jeopardize himself for her. She was allowing Blade to accompany her because he was insistent, but if danger struck, she intended to take care of herself.
She caught sight of the trial’s prosecuting attorney, Allan Sanders, rushing down the inner staircase, glasses askew, tie off-center, wild gray hair sticking out in all directions. In spite of his disheveled appearance, Sanders was one of the most ruthless and determined attorneys Josie had ever known. And he desperately wanted to win this case. He had been on a losing streak lately, failing to secure successful prosecutions in a number of high-profile cases. She had heard plenty of rumors that he might be about to lose his position as state prosecutor, so this case gave Sanders the opportunity to redeem himself and be the shining star.
Josie tried to avoid his eye as she entered the tiled hallway of the courthouse, which was quiet and empty at the early hour. But there was no escaping his gaze, and he came rushing over, beaming from ear to ear.
“Ah, Josie,” he said, clasping her hand firmly. “You’re making a nice, early start, I see. A wise choice considering the difficulty you’re facing in defending this repugnant man.”
Josie drew her hand away from his. “A defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty, Allan. You, of all people, should know that.”
Sanders rolled his eyes. “I think this case is pretty watertight. You should’ve taken the deal when it was offered.” His gaze slid over to Blade and Detective Sykes. “And I see you’ve brought along some reinforcements.”
Josie didn’t much feel like being civil to Allan Sanders, but her manners prevented her from revealing it.
“Allan,” she said, gesturing first to Blade and then to Detective Sykes. “This is former navy SEAL Blade Harding and police detective Carly Sykes. They’ll be ensuring that I remain safe for the duration of the trial.”
“Ah, yes, I’ve heard about the threats you’ve been receiving,” Sanders said, shaking hands. “It’s a terrible state of affairs. I only hope it doesn’t affect your performance in the courtroom. I must admit, I think you’re incredibly brave to continue with this trial. I’m sure the public defender’s office would assign a good replacement attorney if you bowed out.”
“I’ve worked on this case for eighteen months already,” Josie snapped. “I want to see justice served.”
Sanders pinched his lips together. “How very noble of you.” He glanced over his shoulder. “In that case, I would imagine that you’re eager to get on with business. Mr. Francis is waiting for you in meeting room five.”
“Norman is here already?”
“The police escorted him through the back entrance a few minutes ago,” Sanders replied. “They’re concerned that we may see some protesters here today who object to their tax dollars being spent on defending a child abductor.”
“What?” she exclaimed. “Are you serious?”
A smug smile passed Sanders’s lips. “Emotions are running high, Josie. Who knows what will happen?” he said, turning on his heel and walking away, the clipping sound of his shiny shoes echoing on the tiled floor.
“Oh, that man infuriates me,” Josie muttered, feeling Blade’s arm curl around her shoulder. “He’s not going to make it easy for me in court, that’s for sure.”
“Who cares what he does in court?” Blade said. “He’s trying to unsettle you because he feels threatened by you. He knows you can win this case.”
She leaned into Blade’s firm torso, using him as a resting post while she gathered her thoughts and strength. His athletic figure, tall and wide, felt like a shield, and his soothing words were just what she needed to hear at that moment. Then she remembered that her extra weight bearing down on him was likely putting a strain on his leg, so she straightened up and apologized.
“Let’s get you to meeting room five,” Detective Sykes said. She turned to Blade. “I’m afraid you won’t be able to accompany us, Mr. Harding, so I suggest you go take a seat in the public gallery.”
Josie stepped away from Blade, instantly feeling cold at the removal of his body warmth. “Enjoy the show,” she said with a weak smile. “Thanks for coming.”
“Nothing would stop me from being here,” he said solemnly. “I hope you trust me to watch over you today.”
“I do,” she said, yet she guessed he heard the hesitation in her voice. She couldn’t shake her concern for him.
Blade brushed a hand down her arm as she turned to walk away. It was intended as a gesture of reassurance, but it served only to highlight the awkwardness between them. They skittered around each other like cats on a roof, neither sure where each other’s territory began and ended. She was suspicious and afraid of everything he did, worried about the repercussions it would have on her closeness with Archie. She would never stand in the way of Blade forming a solid bond with Archie, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.
“Knock ’em dead,” Blade said, backing away. “You’ll be great.”
Josie sensed him watching her as she headed for the meeting room, keeping eyes on her until she was out of sight. Then she tried to push all thoughts of Blade from her mind. Today was the beginning of the hardest few days of her life. Somebody wanted to stop her in her tracks, and she had to summon all her courage to overcome that threat.
A man’s reputation and freedom hung in the balance, and she was his only hope.
* * *
Josie sat tensely in the courtroom, listening to Allan Sanders present his opening statement to the jury. The jury selection process had been grueling, and she and Sanders had clashed several times regarding individual candidates, but she was content with the final jurors chosen: seven women and five men. Now that these twelve people were in place, the argument and presentation of evidence could begin. And Sanders was coming out fighting, telling the jurors that this child, Lisa Brown, could be their child, fortunate to be rescued from Norman’s house unharmed. He repeatedly referred to her as little Lisa, constantly reminding the courtroom of her vulnerability and defenselessness. It was a cheap trick, but it was effective.
As Sanders spoke, Norman kept his head bowed, as if afraid to look up and catch anyone’s eye. She had told him time and time again that it was important to make eye contact with the jury, allowing them the opportunity to see his honest reactions. He had nothing to hide, so he shouldn’t act as if he did. He also insisted on wearing his large overcoat in the courtroom, despite Josie gently trying to persuade him not to. She knew that he was ashamed of his disability, but he was playing into the hands of the prosecution. He perfectly fitted the stereotype of a bogeyman, with his oversize coat and hunched shoulders. But he was scared and intimidated by the courtroom drama and wasn’t dealing with it well.
Josie admitted to herself that she was more than a little scared by the prospect that her attacker could have sneaked into the public gallery somehow to observe her, to watch for every little moment of weakness, reveling in her discomfort. She feared for Norman, yet she also feared for herself. She felt sick.
She glanced behind her and saw Detective Sykes sitting in the front row, alert and watchful. Farther back, in the very last row, was Blade, his head and shoulders easily visible above all others. His arms were folded, and he was sitting very still, a determined expression on his face.
As she ran her gaze over the many people in the gallery, her eyes came to rest on a strangely familiar one. It was a man wearing a baseball cap pulled down low over his eyeglasses. His big, bushy beard hid his face well, but as she locked eyes with him, a moment of familiarity passed between them, and he pulled his cap even lower, sinking in his chair. How did she know this man? The courtroom was full, with standing room only, and he was likely to be a member of the community, interested in following the details of the trial like everybody else. So why did the hairs on the back of her neck stand upright? Why did her stomach swirl with anxiety? And why did this man seem to want to hide from her eyes? It seemed unlikely that he would have been permitted to enter the gallery wearing that hat, because head wear was forbidden in the court. He must have brought it in with him and put it on once he was seated.
Josie turned back around, realizing that she was losing the thread of Sanders’s opening statement. She needed to be fully engaged with the courtroom, not worried about who might be in the gallery behind her. She took deep, steadying breaths, forcing her heart rate to slow. Pulling her shoulders back and sitting bolt upright, she concentrated on each and every word being said. Finally it was her turn to stand and present the opening statement of the defense.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” she began. “Many people are calling my client a monster…”
That was as far as she managed to get. A huge shout echoed around the courtroom. The public gallery erupted in chaos, with people standing to hurl abusive comments at Norman, pointing fingers and raising fists. A young man tried to force his way to the front of the court, only to be grabbed by a security officer, assisted by Detective Sykes, who leaped from her chair like a lightning bolt. The judge called for order. Norman darted his head from left to right like a startled rabbit. And in the middle of it all, Allan Sanders smiled, as if immensely enjoying the commotion.
Josie’s gaze immediately returned to the man in the baseball hat, who had stayed in his seat, studying the scene, turning his head almost robotically, seemingly scrutinizing each person, each exit, each window and, above all else, scrutinizing her.
She flicked her eyes to Blade. He had clearly been watching her every move and had already noticed her suspicion of the bearded man in the third row.
Blade stood, pointed to the man and mouthed the word. “Him?”
Josie nodded, and Blade began to make his way from his seat. Yet the man in the hat was one step ahead. He had risen and approached a security officer, whispering into his ear, before pointing to Blade and quickly leaving the courtroom. The officer nodded curtly and approached Blade. Blade tried to sidestep to follow the man from court, but the officer pushed against his shoulders, ordering him to stop. Whatever the bearded man had whispered into the officer’s ear, it clearly had the desired effect. Blade was now under suspicion as a troublemaker.
As the melee died down, the judge’s patience appeared to wear thin, and he warned all spectators that any disorder would result in their immediate removal from the court. As several people were led away, still shouting, Josie tried to reassure Norman that this would be unlikely to happen again.
“I did warn you that public feeling was running high,” Sanders said, leaning sideways in his seat. “And who can blame them?”
“I didn’t ask you for your opinion, Allan,” Josie snapped, turning away from him and focusing on Blade, who was patted down by the officer, had his ID checked and then was questioned. He looked to be calm, polite and deferential in response, defusing the situation perfectly. The officer allowed him to retake his seat, and Josie breathed a sigh of relief.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the judge said loudly. “I apologize for this disgraceful intrusion into my courtroom. Now that the offending protesters have been removed, let us resume proceedings.” He looked at Josie. “Counselor, would you please continue?”
Josie was momentarily panicked. She had lost her train of thought, and she riffled through her papers to pick it up again. Allan Sanders sat back in his chair, his face etched with self-satisfaction. Seconds ticked by in agonizing silence.
“Counselor?” the judge questioned. “Are you able to continue?”
“Yes…yes, Your Honor,” she stammered. “I’m sorry for the delay.”
She briefly closed her eyes, lifted her heart up to God, calmed herself and took solace in a quick prayer. When she opened her eyes again, she couldn’t stop herself from briefly glancing over the faces in the gallery, desperately searching out the man in the hat. She knew he was gone, but he had left some kind of invisible yet indelible mark on the room.
She took a deep breath and lifted her head high, projecting her voice across the court. “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury…”
* * *
Blade waited anxiously for Josie, pacing the corridor outside the room where she was running through the day’s events with Norman. After the opening statements had finally been completed, the prosecution had called two of Norman’s neighbors to the stand. Both witnesses testified that they saw Norman smiling at, and talking to, Lisa Brown over the fence around her yard during the course of the day. Although this certainly wasn’t proof of his guilt, Blade saw some of the jurors watching Norman intently, taking in his odd appearance, no doubt wondering why this disheveled and gray-haired old man would be taking an interest in a three-year-old girl. Josie’s cross-examination could have only a limited effect, as Norman freely admitted speaking in a friendly manner to the child. However, these two witnesses weren’t the defense’s main concern. Tomorrow the star witness, Janice Weeks, would be called to present her testimony. According to Josie, Miss Weeks had the capability to damage the defense immeasurably.
Blade had spent much of the day scanning the building for the man in the baseball hat, the man who had clearly spooked Josie. When the guy left the courtroom during the commotion caused by protesters, a security officer had prevented Blade from following after this same man had falsely informed him that Blade was carrying a weapon. Once he had been searched and his ID checked, the officer apologized and radioed the reception desk to prevent the suspect from leaving. But it was too late. He had made a quick getaway. The door in front of Blade opened and Josie appeared, her eyes weary and tired. But she stood erect and poised, holding a briefcase in one hand and letting the other loosely rest on her hip. Her navy-blue suit was showing a few creases after the busy day, and strands of her hair were beginning to escape her neatly pinned bun, but he had never seen her looking more beautiful. He felt a tug at his heart and suppressed the sensation. Blade had once loved Josie with every fiber in his body, but that was long ago. It was only the existence of Archie that had taken him back into her life. The bond they had shared was long since dead, and he now had a new passion: running. Running had already filled many years of loneliness and would probably fill many more.
“The police tell me that there are some protesters out front,” Josie said nervously, peering around the corner to the large exit doors. “So we’ll be escorted out the back door. Norman has already left with a police officer.”
“I’m guessing the protesters are part of the same group who disrupted the trial this morning?” Blade asked.
“Correct,” she replied. “The community is pretty angry that tax dollars are being used to fund Norman’s defense, so there’s widespread sympathy for those people who got kicked out by the judge today. They’ve been drumming up extra supporters on social media, so their numbers have grown.”
“Surely the public can’t deny a man a right to a fair trial?” Blade asked incredulously. “Everybody gets equal treatment no matter what they’re alleged to have done.”
Josie sighed heavily. “The local newspaper ran an article this morning claiming that Norman has thousands of dollars hidden away in a bank account that he failed to disclose to the court. I just became aware of it, so we weren’t able to issue a denial in time. People now assume that Norman is not only a child abductor but also a fraud, using the public defender to avoid spending his own money.”
“What evidence does the newspaper have to support the allegation?” Blade asked. “That’s a pretty serious accusation to make.”
“A clerk at a local bank says that Norman holds an account with a ninety-thousand-dollar balance. She gave bank statements to a journalist to back up the claim.”
Blade was confused. “Doesn’t a judge have the authority to summon the bank records of a defendant before allocating a public defender?”
“Yes,” Josie replied. “But the judge took Norman at his word. Norman supplied the court with a very detailed account of his income and expenses. He made it clear that he has no money, and the judge believed him.”
Blade steered Josie close to the wall as two security officers walked past, tense looks on their faces. “Is it true? Does Norman have that kind of money stashed away?”
Josie let out a high laugh. “Absolutely not. Nobody selects the public defender by choice. It’s the last resort for most people.”
Blade smiled. Josie was missing a vital point. “That all depends on whether the public defender is you. You’d probably be the first choice for plenty of people.”
“It’s nice of you to say that, but it’s not true. If Norman had ninety thousand dollars, he’d have used it to hire a private attorney.”
“So, is the clerk lying?” Blade asked. “Or is it a mistake?”
“I don’t know,” Josie replied with a weary voice. “I just don’t know. It’s possible that there’s another Norman Harold Francis in Sedgwick who is the true account holder, or it could be a malicious attempt by somebody to set him up and cause us trouble.”
Josie jumped slightly as Detective Sykes appeared at her side and touched her arm.
“Sorry,” the detective said. “I didn’t mean to startle you. We’re leaving now, but I’m afraid that the protesters have realized we’re using the back entrance to avoid them, so they’ve spread themselves around the building.” She looked solemnly at Josie. “Stay close to me at all times.”
“That goes for me, too,” Blade said, positioning himself on Josie’s opposite side and curling an arm around her shoulder.
Blade heard the protesters before he saw them. As he approached the back door, their shouts and chants were clearly audible, and he guessed that they were small in number but loud in voice. He was right. Only around ten people were standing on the other side of the door, but they quickly tripled in number when those from the front of the building joined them, encouraged by the rise in noise. With some carrying signs, they began to chant “Make him pay,” which Blade assumed had a double meaning for Norman.
He pulled Josie even tighter. Some of the protesters began to jostle them, pushing hard against Blade’s arm, pulling at his sweatshirt. He began to grow concerned that they might be overwhelmed.
Detective Sykes yelled out an order. “Stay back! Or you’ll all be arrested.”
Blade suddenly felt Josie’s hand grip his tightly. “Blade,” she said. Her eyes were wide with fear. “It’s the guy in the baseball hat. He has a gun.”
Blade spun around. “Where is he?”
Josie tried to reply, but the crack of a gunshot drowned out her words, and the crowd erupted in screams of terror.