“Misunderstanding,” Edge muttered and then winked at me.
“Let’s get this over with.”
Hammer motioned for Edge and me to go in front of him and then to the row where we should sit. As I turned to do so, someone in the back row caught my attention. My public defender was here. Obviously, he had other cases; however, there was no one else in the courtroom.
“What’s wrong?” Edge whispered.
“The man in the back row. That’s my former attorney.”
Edge leaned over and told Hammer what I’d told him.
Hammer looked at both of us. “What the hell is John Lynch doing here?”
34
Edge
Rebel looked as sick as I felt. I thought back to the first day Hammer took over as her attorney and what he’d said. “I don’t understand why the judge didn’t make the PD recuse himself. He’s got a goddamn tie to the vic.”
His name was Lynch. Was it a coincidence? Given we weren’t able to find anyone associated with the ABT with the same name, I had to believe it wasn’t.
I looked into Rebel’s wide eyes. “Let’s get through the hearing.”
“Okay,” she mouthed.
I knew I shouldn’t do it, but I couldn’t help myself. I reached over and took her left hand in my right. Instead of pulling away, she covered both with her other hand. I felt mine begin to shake, but again, instead of pulling away, she held it tighter, and the shaking stopped.
If only I could go back and unsay all the ridiculous things I’d said to her. But would it change anything? Wouldn’t Rebel still want her independence? Still want to figure out the rest of her life on her own?
Her hands remained with mine, and that had to mean something. As she forged ahead in her new life alone, having me nearby, close even, might not be such a bad thing.
The dismissal of the charges against Rebel was a formality hurried along when Mac stopped in to ensure the judge knew the details of the case. He also explained he wouldn’t be pressing charges for the death of the ranch hand. After his investigation, he told the judge he’d determined she acted in self-defense.
No mention was made of Rebel almost killing a federal agent. That part didn’t surprise me. My assumption was that Rile had somehow smoothed that over with the feds.
Sometime in the midst of his appearance, I noticed Lynch leaving the courtroom. He’d be getting the full Invincible-style workup when I got back to the ranch later. If he had as much as a failing grade in secondary school, we’d know it.
“Do you have to get back right away?” I asked Rebel after we exited the courtroom and Hammer left.
“I guess not.”
“What do you say we drive into Austin and celebrate?”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m not exactly certain what you’re asking, but if it means I get to spend time with you, then, yes, I’m sure.”
I had a favorite place on South Congress that I thought Rebel might enjoy, so I rang them while we were on our way to the truck and made a reservation. Then I had another idea.
“The Trail of Lights Festival along the river opened last weekend. We could walk through it and then have dinner a bit later.”
“I’ve never been to Austin, so whatever you suggest, sounds fine to me.”
As Rebel and I walked through the myriad of Christmas light displays, it was painfully hard not to take her in my arms and kiss her. As difficult as it was, I vowed to respect her wishes and prayed that one day I could hold her once again.
“It’s so beautiful,” Rebel murmured when we walked through a tunnel of a million multi-colored lights. “It’s been so long since I’ve celebrated Christmas, I forgot how magical it can be.”
My heart hurt thinking about her Christmases past and mine. I didn’t remember many when I wasn’t on a mission somewhere in the world where the holiday wasn’t celebrated. Or if it was, I didn’t partake.