“I’ll be back soon,” Dad says, but only manages a step before D’Angelo taps his shoulder.
“Can I help?” He stands tall, putting his hands in the pockets of his expensive suit, his presence filling the space. He looks like the kind of guy that means business, and I want to say yes on Dad’s behalf. But Dad’s not so quick to jump.
He eyes Salvatore, his gaze thoughtful, before he offers a subtle nod. “Come on. You can be my witness.”
My stomach drops.Witness?What the hell is he going to do? I turn to Mom for support but she shakes her head. “Let them go. He needs to help and he knows what he’s doing.”
“Do you know what he’s doing?”
“No. But I trust him. And you should too.”
“Okay. But I’m going to need a distraction.”
“Oooh.” Hayley throws her hand in the air. “I’m good at those.”
Reed chuckles and even my mom laughs.
“Thanks, Hayley. What have you got?”
Hayley’s suggestion for us to write character statements on Zane’s behalf was great in theory, but when it came to writing it, I felt sick. If Zane’s still being charged after Dad’s and my statements, there’s no way they’re going to care about how great we think he is.
The time ticks by, way too slowly for my liking, and I’m too anxious to sit still.
It’s been well over an hour, and Dad’s still missing in action, doing whatever it is he needs a witness for. Cutting it close to when Zane needs us most.
“He’s going to miss the hearing, Mom,” I complain, picking up my pacing from where I left off yesterday.
“He’s not,” Keeley answers before Mom can. “Sal’s been texting me. They’re on their way back.”
“From where exactly?”
Keeley smiles sympathetically, her shoulder lifting in a half shrug. “He didn’t say.”
“God. What’s with the secrecy?”
“He didn’t want you involved if anything went wrong,” Mom answers this time, and when my gaze snaps her way, I find her phone locked tightly in her grasp.
“Has Dad been texting you?”
“Only once.”
“So…” I raise my eyebrows, gesturing for her to fill me in.
“So?”
“Where was he?” For fuck’s sake, does no one understand how stressful this is? In less than an hour, Zane might be ordered to face charges. “Please, Mom.”
Noise filters in from the adjoining diner as the door opens to our private dining room and my pulse spikes.Thank God.I turn to ensure that it’s Dad, but before I see him, Mom’s frantic gasp fills the air.
“Tim!” she scolds as I suck in a breath. “What did you do?”
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Zane
Ihear the courtroom fill behind me as I stare down at the table, the cuffs biting into my wrists, the spectacle a joke, as if I’d actually try to hurt anyone.
We all rise when the judge enters, and it’s only then that I glance back to see who’s watching, and my breath catches in my throat.
