“We’ll work on a subpoena,” Hayes continued.“We’ll work on forcing the matter from a legal standpoint, but it’ll take some time.”
“We’ll get a stay of proceedings,” Cal said, looking at the lawyer.“Until the appropriate evidence can be gathered.”
Mr.Vanderbilt didn’t look at Cal.He sat behind his desk, methodically tapping each finger across his notebook.
“You’ll get a stay,” Cal said again.
The lawyer’s eyes finally moved to Cal.“Self-defense is still a weak defense.Maybe the jury won’t go for the sentencing we were hoping for, but not guilty?I don’t see that going down.”
“You’re going to let himwalkbecause you can get a smaller conviction?”Cal said incredulously.
The lawyer only looked at Cal with something like disapproval in his eyes.“Mr.Bennet, you know better than most how these things go.”
“He’s a fucking murderer,” Nate said.A barely leashed fury in his words that Landon felt himself.
The lawyer’s sigh was tired.Irritated.“And, ideally, the case we built will support that.I’ll get my cross-examination of Ben tomorrow.We’ll see if we can poke some holes in his story with said evidence.This is hardly a foregone conclusion.We shouldn’t overreact.”
The lawyer got to his feet.“I’m going to go back to my office, work on these new pieces of information.We’ve still got a lot of defense to go.I can rebuttal.If you can get this… Bowman Lake here to testify, I’ll call him up.If you can get his DNA in time, I’ll introduce it.But there’s no point staying this case, drawing it out.It’s clear Bennet killed Marie.We’re just down to arguing years doing time.”
Landon didn’t know if everyone was as stunned silent as he was, but he didn’t havewords.
The lawyer thought years didn’t matter.That the best punishment they could get was good enough.
Which meant, Dad could be out… hell, next year if it all went down badly enough.
The lawyer left the room, and the detective started to follow him.Hayes hesitated at the door.“Look, it mightfeelwrong, but Vanderbilt’s right.I can’t believe a jury is going to swallow that load of horse shit.”
But Landon could.Because he’d swallowed it for fifteen years.So had Aly.And most of the damn town.Benjamin Bennet knew how to twist a situation to suit him.
Which meant… Landon wanted to reject the thought, but they had to be practical.Bo wasn’t coming back.The lawyer wasn’t staying the trial.
“I think we need to start planning for what happens if he gets out,” Landon said.
As much as he didn’t want to deal with this eventuality, it felt more and more possible.And they had to know how they were going to handle it.How they were going to fight Ben Bennet.
Together this time.
“Let’s not jump the gun,” Cal said.He was sitting in the chair, looking laser focused.
Like a different man.The man he’d been once upon a time.The slick, with-it lawyer who breezed into town with a few well-placed barbs and then out again.
It was the first time in his life Landon was glad to see it.
Cal rubbed a hand over his chin, then lifted his gaze to Sam.Moved it to Aly.“Did anyone notice when Dad was the most agitated on the stand?When the mask started to slip?”
“Yeah,” Sam said.“When he talked about me.”
Cal nodded at Sam.“He couldn’t quite hide how much he hated you.And sure, it makes sense.Why wouldn’t he?”
“Good,” Sam muttered.
“Hepaledwhen Glenda spoke.He hates Sam.He hates Glenda, too, but he’s afraid of her.Something about a woman getting up there and undercutting him really gets under his skin.”Cal’s gaze moved to Aly, and Landon had to tense his muscles to keep from standing in front of her, protecting her from whatever this was.
“Vanderbilt gets a rebuttal.He can bring in witnesses, bringbackwitnesses.Fuck Bo and his DNA.We don’t need him.”
“You sure about that?”
Cal met Nate’s gaze.“No.Not sure.But I have an idea.They’re going to bring more witnesses to support what a great guy Dad was.They’ve no doubt found plenty.But when Vanderbilt gets his rebuttal, he brings Aly back up.”
