I tittered lightly. “Don’t even waste your time on that skank. I’m sure he’s going to do what he did to me, to her.”
“They always say it’s what happens when you cheat with a married man.”
I nodded and looked down at my watch. “I have to get to the office and meet with my client. I’ll see you later, and thanks for coming.”
“Whenever you need me, I’m always showing up for you, pumpkin.”
I smiled and wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tight. When we separated, I caught a glimpse of Leo walking toward us. I told my mother I’d see her later, then hurriedly got inside my car and pulled away. As far as I was concerned, we had nothing to discuss.
I arrived at my office thirty minutes later and saw my client sitting outside. I opened the door and ushered him inside while I put my things away, then I took a seat. I went over a few thingswith him, but he just sat there with his head down without any response.
James Lampert sat across from me with sadness oozing from his pores. I could smell his heartbreak in the air, and I could see the crack in the armor of a man who may have been strong once in his lifetime.
His wife and son were murdered while coming out of their home one morning. According to the records, the gunman was an ex of hers who couldn’t accept the fact that she had moved on. There had been police reports over the years, restraining orders, and PPOs, but the shooter, Ian Mack, cared nothing about them and had been plotting for the longest.
For someone to lie in wait for years to do something so tragic was devastating, even for a woman like me.
I sat up in my seat and intertwined my fingers. “Whenever you’re ready, Mr. Lampert,” I said softly.
Those sad eyes came up to mine, and I gave him a light, reassuring smile. It was the last day of trial, and I wanted to meet with him before we headed next door to the courthouse. I wanted to make sure he was mentally prepared to be there before it started. He had only been to two of the hearings, but he’d left early both times. I knew how hard this was for him, so I wanted to give him time to process this.
The defense team was trying to get him five years, due to a lack of evidence, but I was able to pull camera footage from the neighbors’ Ring cams at the eleventh hour, and I saw the defendant murder them in cold blood.
The only downside to us not getting justice was that his face was covered. But the vehicle belonged to him, and with the history of his harassment, plus the car in question, I prayed the jury would give James the justice he deserved.
“I-I don’t think—I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.”
“I know, but you want justice, right? I know this is hard for you, so I’m hoping the judge gives him the max sentence.”
“What’s the max?”
“Twenty-five to life with no parole.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know if I can agree with that.”
I frowned lightly. “It’s all we can hope for, Mr. Lampert.”
“He needs the death penalty. He needs to feel what death feels like. His family needs to feel how the fuck I feel,” he angrily spat. I saw his chest rising and falling at a rapid speed, his eyes turning bloodshot red, and his knuckles turning white from gripping the arms of the chair.
I feared that, at any moment, he was going to rip them from the chair.
I stood and made my way around the desk. I approached him with caution, placed my hand on his back, and rubbed gently to soothe him. When he felt my touch, his head dropped, his body jerked, and his pain released.
In this moment, I felt everything he felt: the heartbreak, the grief of losing someone you loved, and the emptiness of being alone. Leo may not have died, but he may as well have been dead to me. He broke my heart, and just because my children hadn’t expressed their feelings about him leaving, that didn’t mean they weren’t heartbroken either.
I saw it on Carsyn’s face when he asked if he was coming back. It was on Chloe’s face when she asked why he hadn’t been home. It was in the connection Carlee made with Basil that she’d never made with her own father.
I saw it.
I watched closely.
And every time I thought of what he did and what he left behind, sadness consumed me.
James leaned his head on my chest, and I allowed him to cry it out while holding him and assuring him that things were going to get better, even if I wasn’t exactly sure they would be.
I grabbed a few Kleenexes from the tissue holder and handed them to him. “Maybe you shouldn’t come today. You’re grieving, and there’s no timeline on grief. I fear you would spazz if the verdict doesn’t go in our favor.”
He lifted and sat up straight, shaking his head profusely. “No. I have to do this on behalf of Emily and Xavier.”
