“My witness was unable to finish his testimony because of the injuries that your client subjected him to.”
“Allegedly.”
“I’ll allow this new witness, Miss Greenwood. The defense will have their chance to cross-examine,” Judge Fulton decides.
I nod. “I’d like to call Special Sergeant Nathan Wolfe to the stand.”
The room audibly reacts as the stern-faced man approachesfrom the gallery. Without saying a word, he elicits an imposing air of respect even without his uniform.
This isn’t an Army matter, so he’s only wearing a nice suit, but if I recall, it’s the one he wore to Thea’s wedding.
I’ve known Nathan for years, but I’ll admit this is the most conversation I’ve ever had with him. He keeps to himself, and his hard exterior only melts around Callie; he gives everyone else a cold shoulder.
He’s only “kind” to me because his sister treats me like family. If I were anyone else, he wouldn’t be taking the stand today.
I wait until Judge Fulton does his part, swearing Nathan in, before greeting him. “Sergeant Wolfe, thank you for being here today.”
He nods, stiffly.
“Before I get started. Can you tell the jurors a little bit about yourself?”
“I’m a resident of Whitewater. Moved here four years ago. I’ve served in the United States Army in some capacity for 15 years and currently serve in the Army Criminal Investigative Division.”
“You moved to this area four years ago and have held residence on the outer edge of Rollins County. You live deeper in the mountains than most folks. Do you hunt?”
“Yes.”
“Can you tell me about one of your most significant hunting trips?”
“It was early November, almost four years ago. I was sitting on top of a ridge waiting for game to appear when I saw a woman in distress.” His gaze slips to Callie in the audience, but he recovers quickly.
“Did you help her?”
“Yes, I was able to deter the hostiles and secure the package.” He shakes his head. “I deterred her attackers, and I got her to safety,” he clarifies in civilian words.
“What happened next?”
“I brought her into my home to bandage her injuries and to prevent hypothermia. She was able to tell me what happened to her, and the next day we set out to find her vehicle and personal belongings.”
“Why did you need to find her vehicle?”
“She was attacked on the side of the road after pulling over to fix a flat tire.”
“Did you find her car?”
“Yes. It was still sitting on the side of the highway where she was taken.”
“What do you mean by taken?”
“She was attacked by two men and kidnapped.” One of the jurors gasps, but Nathan’s face doesn’t budge. Only I’m close enough to see the twinge of pain in his eyes. “They tied her up and put her in their vehicle and drove into the mountains.”
“But she escaped?”
“She escaped.”
I nod, bringing the conversation back around. “Were you able to fix her flat?”
“I put on her spare tire.”
