Dead Heat (24 page)

“You bet your ass, girl,” Dani told her, reading Paige’s mind.

Paige, Dani, and Kenna looked up the marble stairs at the large gray stone building in front of them. Cars honked, people shoved them as they walked hurriedly by, and the end of August air was smothering. The United States Courthouse loomed over them like a medieval castle.

Kenna couldn’t believe this used to be her home. Now all she wanted to do was get back to Kentucky and watch the UK vs. UL football game and pick out baby names. She looked at Dani and could tell by the expression on her face that she felt the same way. New York City was no longer their home. But they had one more thing to do before leaving the City behind.

Kenna felt Will come up and take her left hand in his. He placed it in the crook of his arm and smiled down on her. She dropped Dani’s hand and placed her other hand on her small baby bump. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she and Dani ran from this City. Now it was about closure. Now it was about justice.

As soon as Dani felt Kenna pull her hand away, it was replaced by the strong hold of her fiancé who had stepped up next to her. She was ready to do this, with or without the support of Mo and her friends. But it sure did help to have them here.

Cole slipped his arm around Paige’s shoulder and pulled her against him. With a wink, he kissed her forehead. She looked down the line at the prosecutor’s star witnesses and hoped their motion to be allowed in the courtroom during trial would be granted. The defense had asked that they be excluded, but Kenna had made sure the prosecutor filed a motion to allow them to there.

The girls shook their heads and laughed. Their men knew how to ease the tension. They started up the first set of stairs when Will’s cell phone rang. He answered it and held up his hand to stop everyone. He pushed a button on his phone and held it out for everyone to hear.

“Okay, go ahead. We’re all here,” Will spoke into the phone.

“Hello? Can you hear us? Are ya’ll there?” Miss Lily’s Southern voice sounded like an angel against the harsh New Yorker’s accent they had listened to the past couple of days.

“Hush a minute and let them answer you, Lily Rae.”

“I was doing just that when you opened your mouth, Daisy Mae.”

“Bless your hearts girls, shut up a minute so they can hear us,” Miss Violet said in the background. Kenna rolled her eyes, Dani laughed out loud, and Paige felt the peace and warmth of home float through the phone to envelop her.

“We’re here!” Will shouted into the phone.

“We hear you, William. No need to shout. We wanted to call and wish our girls luck. We called the Church and sent out a prayer tree. You all have the support of the town,” Miss Lily told them.

“Hurry home, we miss you already!” Miss Violet shouted.

“And we’re already making a pitcher of our special tea for when you get home.” There was a pause before Miss Daisy continued, “And some regular boring lemonade for those of you in the family way.”

“Thank you, Miss Daisy!” Kenna, Dani and Paige each said in unison.

“Thanks for thinking of us. We’ll be home as soon as we can.” Kenna told them before Will took the phone off speaker.

Paige looked over and saw the shimmer in Kenna’s eyes. “Damn pregnancy hormones. “Yeah, they work both ways though. Our child support payments have never been better. No parent wants to come into court and face a hormonal attorney for failure to pay child support. We’re actually getting kinda bored,” Dani joked.

The group quieted and looked back up at the courthouse.

“Let’s do it, girls.” Paige looked to each of her friends, now closer than sisters, as they headed into the deep hallows of the courthouse surrounded by Ahmed, Rahmi soldiers, and U.S. Marshals.

The group was seated in a conference hall near the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The first chair was the U.S. Attorney for the region. He was tall and thin with salt and pepper hair sharply cut. His glasses matched his standard black suit. The second chair was the woman who had handled the grand jury. Her mousy brown hair was clipped back and she too had on a black suit. Paige glanced at Kenna's French twist and black suit.

“I know, I know, we look like funeral directors. It is just such an ingrained habit that I couldn’t break it now.” Paige smiled at her and noticed the woman ADA look down at her black suit as if just noticing for the first time they were all dressed alike.

“So, we won the Motion for Sequestration because of victims' rights. Victims of Crimes have pushed for victims' rights in the court procedures. In the old days, it was standard for all witnesses to be kept out of the courtroom except to testify. Well, the new victims' rights states that victims of a crime should be afforded every opportunity to confront the accused. As long as a legitimate reason is not given for exclusion, the new thought is victims have every right to be present through all the proceedings.

“The defense tried to exclude you all by saying testimony from one of you would affect testimony from the others. Essentially, you would taint each other. However, since you have each submitted very thorough affidavits and McKenna has testified in person before the grand jury, and Danielle had provided a taped statement, the court allowed you all to be present through the trial.

“We have already selected our jury. Opening statements will be made and then McKenna will be called to testify. After McKenna, will be Danielle, then Agent Parker, Paige, our friendly assassin, and then Director Salmond. I hope to finish with our case at the end of the week. The defense could take up to two weeks. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Do not lose hope. Do not roll your eyes. Do not get upset. Stay calm, collected, graceful, and strong. Now, are you ready to go?”

Kenna felt the familiar rush as she walked into the large courtroom. The feeling of confidence washed over her as she slipped into attorney mode. It was hard for her to realize she wasn’t here to argue a case. She was the case. She smiled up at Lady Justice and knew everything would be alright.

Dani followed Kenna’s sure stride and blinked at all the cameras being aimed at them. This was the media event of the century. How did Kenna do it? Her face was solemn and confident, and she didn’t even break a sweat. Dani couldn’t do that though. She needed support. As if reading her mind, Mo’s hand came to rest gently on her back as he led her through the crowd and to the bench behind the prosecutor’s table. She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Paige stopped at the door and looked in awe at the courtroom. Everything was so elaborate and big. The bench stood high above the room so the judge could survey his domain. Dark mahogany paneling covered the walls as large chandeliers hung down lighting the room, a room packed with media. All of their cameras were now pointed at her. She slowly made her way past them with Cole’s hand in hers. She was sure he could feel her trembling since he gave her hand a supportive squeeze. She passed the families of the defendants and couldn’t stop from giving them a sympathetic smile. She slid into her seat and waited for the wheels of justice to turn.

“All rise! The United States Court of the Southern District of New York, the Honorable Judge Guillentino presiding, is now in session," the bailiff announced. The courtroom quieted as the short old judge made his way to the bench.

Paige leaned back and became engrossed in the opening statements. Hours passed as the attorney’s wove their tales of guilt and innocence, of facts and fiction, and of evidence or the lack thereof.

“The prosecution may call its first witness,” the judge told U.S. Attorney.

“The prosecution calls McKenna Mason Ashton to the stand.”

Kenna stood as her name was called. Will squeezed her hand before letting go. She straightened her jacket over her unborn child and found a type of strength she never knew existed. As she walked past the defense table, her heels clicked on the stone floor and she turned to look the men right in the eyes. She wanted them to know she was not backing down. Instead she was taking them down.

She walked in front of the defense table and stopped in front of the step leading up to the witness stand. She turned and waited for the bailiff to swear her in. She kept her eyes on the defense table and smothered a grin when Bob Greendale squirmed in his chair. She had some things she wanted to say. She had a family to protect... her husband, her unborn child, and her sisters. Nothing, and no one, was going to stand in her way of convicting these assholes. If she couldn’t be the one prosecuting them, then she’d do something even better. She’d provide the testimony to put then in jail for the rest of their lives.

“Please raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

“I do."

Epilogue

Keeneston Journal

February 9th

Mr. Will Ashton and Mrs. McKenna Ashton proudly announce the birth of their healthy baby girl, Sienna Danielle Paige Ashton. She was born February 7th at 11:15 at night.

His Royal Highness Mohtadi Ali Rahmen and Her Royal Highness Danielle Ali Rahmen, AKA Mo and Dani, have returned from their honeymoon after the wedding of the century. Residents are still recovering from having the presence of the President of the United States of America in Keeneston.

Miss Lily Rae Rose has announced the Man O' War room is now called the Presidential Suite after he slept in the room after the wedding two months ago.

Mr. Cole Parker and Miss Paige Davies announce that they will be holding their wedding this spring out at the Davies' Farm. The wedding will be held May 13th.

After the Royal Wedding, Miss Paige Davies has been commissioned to supply the Derby hats for both the First Lady of the United States and for the First Lady of France after they saw one of her hats featured in
Vogue
.

In related news, all bets placed in the Cole and Paige baby pool for a delivery date prior to October, have been disqualified. Dates are now open for the new year. Bets are $5 per date. See Miss Daisy Mae Rose or Miss Violet Fae Rose for more information.

Our very own Deputy Noodle won first place in the Eighth Annual Kentucky Noodling Contest by catching a catfish weighing in at sixty-three pounds!

Pam Gilbert of the PTA has announced a bake sale to support the baseball team. It will be held at the Keeneston Farmer’s Market from 9-12 this Saturday.

Bob Greendale, Dick LeMaster, Gene Pottinger, Brian Voggel, and Jarred Felting were sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday in New York City. Good riddance.

Adaline Brunston won first prize at this year’s Confederate Daughter’s Bake Off to Support the Troops. Her winning pie will be featured at the Blossom Café all this week.

Saint Francis announces that they will host a fish fry at the Church from 5-8 this Friday. Everyone is invited for dinner and live music. See John Wolfe for more information.

Roses are red, Violets are blue. And Miss Daisy's getting in trouble too! Stay tuned for more on the three sisters.

###

Bluegrass Series News

Love Keeneston? Don’t want to say good-bye? Then don’t! The Bluegrass Series will continue with the Davies Brothers. Their stories are stand-alone books in which all of Keeneston will make an appearance and you can one again slip into the story of the town we all love. The first book, Bluegrass Undercover, is Cade’s story and will be available in the spring of 2012.

So, make a pitcher of special iced tea, cut a slice of pecan pie, and get ready for some more Southern charm from your favorite town!

Want to know when the next book is published? Go to
http://www.Kathleen-Brooks
.
com and sign up on the contact form. I will email you as soon as the next book is published. You can also following her on Twitter
@BluegrassBrooks
or chat with her on
Facebook
. Email her at
[email protected]
any time! She loves hearing from those who have read her books.

Special Thank You!

To the fans who have written me and wanted more of Keeneston, I have loved writing this trilogy and am excited about my future projects. Thank you for your support and kind words.

I would also like to thank Keeneland Race Track for allowing me access to the track to take pictures for the cover.

About the Author

Kathleen Brooks has garnered attention for her debut novel, Bluegrass State of Mind, as a new voice in romance with a warm Southern feel. Her books feature quirky small town characters you’ll feel like you’ve known forever, romance, humor, and mystery all mixed into one perfect glass of sweet tea.

Kathleen is an animal lover who supports rescue organizations and other non-profit organizations whose goals are to protect and save our four-legged family members.