Breaking Steele (Sarah Steele Legal Thriller)

Chapter 12

DAN AND I DIDN’T say a word. Joshua shyly asked what had happened, and I gave him the stark answer: “Mistrial.”

He groaned and collapsed into a chair.

“Get up, bucko,” I said. “If you think we were buried in work before the trial, you haven’t seen anything yet. Better bring your pillow to the office.”

My pep talk wasn’t exactly gracious, but it got the job done. Joshua jumped out of the chair and followed me down the hall, taking notes as I gave him a list of paperwork he needed to pick up for me. Dan left without saying goodbye, off to lick his wounds. This was going to hurt his run for office.

After a few hours at the courthouse filling out forms and other paperwork, we were finally free to leave.

“Are you hungry?” Joshua asked as we walked outside and down the steps.

At the question, I suddenly realized how famished I was. It was already past lunchtime. “How about—”

“The Casaba?” he finished for me. It was our favorite gyro joint. “What do you want to drink?”

“Orange juice. And order me a second helping of fries,” I said, grinning up at him.

He patted his round belly. “I think that’s just what I need, too.”

“And fill up on gas on your way back to the office,” I said. “We’re taking your car to the scene of the crime.”

“I’ve never been there.” His eyes crinkled in worry.

“It’s important to see it,” I said. “It’ll help us start fresh, see if we missed something.” We were pretty desperate. “I’ll need your eyes.”

He looked down, embarrassed but pleased.

There was still something bothering me from the kidnapping, and I had to check it out. “Oh, and call the prison and see what Hank Williams was doing last night, if he had any visitors or doctor’s visits.”

Joshua gave me a strange look, but nodded.

I heard my name called in a high-pitched voice from across the road. Angela, Jessie, and Cassandra waved at me with huge smiles plastered on their faces.

A bus drove by, blocking them from view. My head was still in the case, but I quickly put up a mask for the girls. Once the bus passed, blowing my hair out of my face with its speed, they galloped over, waving medals.

“I did it, I did it,” Angela exclaimed. She clutched my arm and shoved her 1st place medal in my face. “I won the tournament!” She giggled, her eyes shining. “I couldn’t wait to see you, so we came here.”

I brought her in for a hug. “I’m so proud of you,” I whispered in her ear. “You worked hard for this. And now you’re the best of the best.”

Jessie winked at me. “Well, she hasn’t fought you yet, so we can’t say that.”

I high-fived Cassandra and ooo’d and ahh’d over her 3rd place metal. And then I listened as Jessie told me that she landed on her ankle wrong and had to withdraw from the tournament early. “If I hadn’t,” she said, “I’d have beat Angela for sure.”

Angela rolled her eyes and I laughed. Joshua took a step back. “You wish,” Angela said.

“Oh, hey,” I said. “You have to meet Joshua Tasi. He’s an intern at the DA office, and he’s my right-hand man on this case.”

Jessie and Cassandra looked down shyly, intimidated by his powerful form. But Angela stuck out her hand for a hearty handshake.

Suddenly, a shadow fell across my face. I turned and saw Hank Williams. His attorneys stood a few feet away next to a dark limo that idled by the curb. No reporters in sight—I guess they were on to the next story.

Joshua took a step toward the girls, as if wanting to shield them.

I put my hands in my pockets and stared at Hank Williams with animosity. I knew the evil he had done, and I wasn’t going to pretend he was anything other than a dangerous man.

“Are those your little sisters?” he asked.

His voice gave me the chills.

I didn’t answer. His back was to the sun and I squinted up at him, not wanting to look away. It was a nosy question and there was no way I was giving him any information about them. He glanced up and down at Angela and heat crept up my neck.

It was the first time I had been close to him. His hair was dirty blond with gray streaks. He had a trimmed goatee and bushy eyebrows, with a fat chin and ears that were too big. His dark eyes were beady and watery, as if the sunlight hurt them. There was nothing more I’d like to do than punch him in the nose.

“You tried your best, dear,” he said. “There was nothing more you could do.” He rubbed his jaw and then smoothed down his mustache.

The girls behind me were silent. They knew a creep when they saw one.

I didn’t move, didn’t let any recognition in my eyes. I just waited for him to move on. Sometimes the best comeback was letting him know he wasn’t even worth a reply.

Williams leaned forward and I smelled Old Spice on his jacket. Yuck. “I’ll see you later,” he whispered. “It’ll be great getting to know you better.”

That was when I broke his gaze. If I held it any longer, I would lose my self-control. I swallowed the rising wall of anger breaking against my chest like a wave.

When he saw he wasn’t going to get a rise from me, he glanced up and down at Angela again, and then sauntered away. His limo disappeared around the corner and I unclenched my fists.

I let out all my breath.

Now that he was out, it wasn’t safe anywhere. I had to get him back behind bars as soon as I could.