He did as she asked and then they all headed up to the porch.
“I brought dinner,” Sam announced to Aly, who was frowning a little.
“Early,” Aly said, like she was expecting it to come with bad news.
“So you didn’t start cooking,” Sam replied with a shrug as they all started to pile inside.“Plus, I heard some rumblings.”
“Definerumblings,” Landon demanded.
“Detective Hayes texted me.The jury was getting ready to come back to court.They’ve made their decision.We should have an answer tonight, whenever court adjourns and Vanderbilt calls.”
No one said anything.They stepped into the warm house, shedding outer layers.Sam put the food down on the coffee table in the living room, so Nate put the bag there as well.
“I’ll get plates,” Aly said quietly, turning and moving for the kitchen.
Landon followed her presumably to help.Cal collapsed into one of the armchairs, and Nate settled himself on the love seat that wasn’t quite big enough for two people.He pulled Sam into the small space next to him.It was a tight fit, but she leaned into him and let him sling his arm across her shoulders.
Aly and Landon returned with plates, and everyone began to get food.For a good few minutes, no one ate or spoke.They just poked at their meals.
Sam was the first one to break the silence.“If it goes bad, we’ll get that DNA to prove him wrong.We’ll find a way to appeal or whatever.Right, Cal?”
Her relentless determination really never failed to amaze Nate.Even more now having seen underneath all that to the vulnerable, soft, tired spots she tried to keep hidden.But she never let those win, not for long.She just kept fighting.
It was no wonder he was in love with her.
Cal surveyed the room.Nate didn’t know that Cal fully agreed with Sam, but he wasn’t going to disagree.
“Yeah.We’ll do whatever it takes,” he said, whether he believed it or not.
They ate.Each of them tried to hold some kind of light conversation.About the ranch, the weather, but nothing held except silence.Enough silence that they all jumped when a phone started ringing.
Aly spilled her drink, Sam’s salad had upended a little into both their laps, and Landon now had pizza sauce on his shirt.
But no one moved to handle these things.They all looked at Cal.Who was pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.
“It’s Vanderbilt.”
“Put it on speaker,” Nate said.
Cal looked up at him briefly, then nodded.
He answered.“This is Bennet.I’ve got you on speaker here with… everybody.”
“Cal, everyone, the jury returned with their verdict and sentencing.”
Cal looked around the room, then nodded.“Go ahead with it.”
“Benjamin Bennet was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to spend life in prison.He’ll make appeals.I don’t have any doubts about that, but… he’s going to have a tough case after that outburst.”
No one spoke.Nate didn’t even breathe.
They’d… done it.Cal had done it.Or they all had, one way or another.
Dad was going to jail.Forever.
“Thanks for the call,” Cal said.“I’m going to make sure everyone knows.I might have some questions for you later.”
“Call my office.We’ll set up a postmortem.Good work, Cal.All of you.”
