Chapter Twenty-Five
Axe, Vinny, Juan, and Ivan were dragged onto a wooden stage surrounded by empty seats. They were set in front of a green screen on top of a plastic tarp.
Juan dripped blood with every step he took, but the guards took no mercy. They shoved him onto the tarp. He lost his balance and bumped into the screen, leaving streaks of blood.
“Damn it,” one of the guards said. “He dirtied the screen. Capo isn’t going to like it.”
“Clean it up,” the lead guard said. “The rest of you will kneel.”
Juan fell to the floor, head first, and wasn’t able to get up.
“He needs medical help,” Axe said.
A guard kicked him. “He isn’t going to be alive long enough for it to matter.”
“Why are we here?” Axe asked, jerking against the plastic ties which cut into his wrists.
“Shut up.” The guard slapped Axe, earning him a look from his father.
Axe knew his father was upset with him for letting himself be captured, but at the same time, if his precious Soledad were here, he wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to save her.
Too bad Leanna’s father had turned out to be a weasel. The man took credit in front of Cano’s lieutenants and demanded to see his daughter. He was welcomed into the castle and whisked away without looking back at the men who cared about Soledad.
Axe gritted his teeth and growled, straining against the ties when Leanna’s father strode onto the stage.
“Let’s get started with the trial,” Tomas said. “All rise. Capo Cano will take the bench.”
Axe looked toward the wooden judge’s bench on one side of the stage. It had a step up and a witness box to the side. There was no jury box. Apparently, Joshua Cano needed no one else’s opinion.
The guards yanked Axe and the other prisoners to their feet, except for Juan who was unable to stand.
A slickly dressed man in an expensive Italian suit strode to the bench. His pomaded gray hair was combed back over his head, and he smirked like a smarmy politician. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and patted lint or dandruff from his shoulders before cracking his knuckles and sitting in the judge’s seat.
It was Axe’s first glimpse of the evil Joshua Cano.
“The court will come to order.” Cano pounded the gavel. “Bring in the members of the jury.”
A door in the back of the theater opened, and two people walked in. Leanna held her head high as she strode toward the stage. She was dressed in a smart turquoise suit with a skirt and matching pumps. Apparently, they’d changed her clothes and made her up. Her hair was coiffed and rolled up like she was a lawyer for the trial. Her eyes widened at seeing the four of them juxtaposed against the green screen. Beside her was Gabriel, gangly in a suit which was too large for him.
The guards marched Leanna and Gabriel onto the stage and seated Leanna at the plaintiff’s table on Cano’s right and Gabriel at the defendant’s table at his left side.
Leanna folded her hands and looked neither to the right nor left. Gabriel slouched in the chair, blinking and looking sick when he spotted Juan bleeding and slumped over.
“Bailiff, bring in the witness, my precious Carmelita.” Cano pounded the gavel, even though no one made a sound.
Axe sucked in hot air and strained against his bonds. Soledad walked in from stage left. Leanna’s father left his position next to Cano and led her to the witness stand. She was wearing a bright-yellow sundress with ruffles, and her hair was wavy and long, styled like Leanna’s. Her face was made up, and she looked older than a thirteen-year-old. She bit her lips when she spotted Gabriel, and her face paled when she saw Juan bleeding in the corner.
Poor girl.
Axe gritted his teeth and darted a glance at Leanna.
She had her hand over her mouth, blinking back tears. Her chest heaved with emotion at what she thought was the sight of her daughter.
Cano was a bastard.
“Ladies and gentlemen, court is in session,” Cano said, rapping the gavel. “Bailiff, will you introduce everyone in the court?”
Leanna’s father nodded. He put his hand on Soledad’s shoulder and said, “Your Honor. This is Carmelita Bandera Cano, your esteemed daughter.”
