The Weekday Brides 04 - Single by Saturday (33 page)

“You should have just taken Becky home. Kidnapping…they’re charging you with kidnapping.”

Zach glared at his father now. “Am I capable of that, Dad? Do you really think for a fucking minute that is part of my character?”

How dare his father look at him with such accusatory eyes?

When his father didn’t instantly agree that he wasn’t capable of being the monster the police were pointing him out to be, Zach lost it.

“All my life I’ve done everything in my power to please you. Stuck in fucking Hilton, scraping together a construction business…all so I could be there for you and Mom…for everyone.” Behind Zach, he noticed the officer stand taller. His hand reached for the door behind him.

Zach lowered his voice but felt his face heat up. “I’ve always done the right thing. Keeping Becky and Nolan away from her parents was the right thing.”

“Zach, honey…” his mom grabbed the phone from his father’s fingers. “We know you’re not the man they’re accusing you to be. It’s a shock…for both of us to see you here.”

Zach kept glaring at his father. “We need a lawyer, Mom.”

Behind his parents, a man walked in wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase. “Mr. and Mrs. Gardner?”

Sawyer turned in his seat. Zach heard some of the man’s words through the phone. “I was hired by Blake Harrison to represent Zach.”

The name sounded familiar but he didn’t understand what was going on until after his parents told them they’d speak with the lawyer after he talked with Zach.

“Mr. Gardner…I’m Ron Bernard. Blake flew me and two of my colleagues in from California to represent you, Karen, and Nolan.”

“Blake who?”

Mr. Bernard sent him a puzzled look. “The duke and duchess?”

Oh, that’s right
…
Karen’s friends.

“If you’re willing to let me represent you, I’ll have the officer set up a conference room so you and I can talk privately.”

Mr. Bernard looked more capable than any lawyer his parents could possibly come up with, and he saw no need to question Karen’s high-powered friends.

Right now, his main priority was getting them out of jail and to make sure Karen was safe.

“Let’s talk.”

Mr. Bernard smiled and motioned for the officer.

Behind the lawyer, his parents dropped their gazes and walked from the room.

Five minutes later, Zach sat in a conference room explaining what had happened from the moment he left the cabin to the moment the lawyer showed up.

Now all he had to do was wait for a judge to be called in and an arraignment to be set up.

What a day!

Judy found an empty chair away from the massive hottie of a man who watched her.

Unlike any lobby she’d ever sat in, this one had flyers from bail bond agencies and
dial a lawyer
pamphlets spread on the small table. A middle-aged woman and teenage boy sat at one end of the room, both looked as if they’d slept in the chairs all night.

Green Eyes stood when the door her parents had just walked through opened and an even larger man with a stunning blonde woman walked through. “How is she?” Green Eyes asked.

Judy tried not to listen, but the small lobby made it difficult.

“Worried sick about Becky and Nolan,” the woman said.

With the mention of Becky’s and Nolan’s names, Judy looked at the three people with renewed interest. Were they friends of Karen’s?

“Shouldn’t she be concerned with her own fate?”

“She’s not concerned about herself at all.” The blonde’s polished British accent had Judy sitting forward. Hadn’t Karen told her about her British friend who was married to a retired Marine? The man at her side was certainly large enough to fit the description of ex-military. So was Green Eyes. “I received a message from Samantha. They’ll be here within the hour.”

Judy stood and walked over to the small party. “I’m sorry…are you friends of Karen’s?”

The blonde fixed her eyes on Judy and smiled. “Yes.”

“I’m Judy. Mike’s sister.”

The woman smiled brighter. “I’m Gwen,” she said as she stuck a hand out for Judy to shake. “This is Neil, my husband, and a friend of ours, Rick.”

Green Eyes placed his full wattage of a smile on her. At his side, she had to look up to see him. This close, she felt like a pixie in the presence of a dragon.

“Is Karen OK?”

“Oh, she’s fine. We’ll have them all out of here in a couple of hours.”

“I don’t even know why they’re here. My parents just went back to talk to my brother, Zach.”

Gwen and Neil exchanged glances.

“Why don’t we step outside and talk?”

Judy followed them outside and away from anyone listening.

“From what I’m told,” Gwen began, “a girl named Becky ran away from home with her boyfriend.”

“Nolan?”

“Right,” Gwen said. “Zach and Karen found them hiding and put them up in the hotel for a couple of days until they could figure out how to keep Becky safe.”

“What’s wrong with Becky?”

Gwen sighed. “According to Karen, her parents abuse her. They accused Karen and Zach of kidnapping…and her boyfriend of other nefarious acts.”

The picture was clearing before Judy’s eyes. “Becky’s always been so shy.”

“You know her?”

Judy nodded. “Hilton is a small town. Everyone knows everyone.”

Gwen glanced at the men. “Do you know where Becky lives?”

“Of course. Why?”

As the question escaped Judy’s mouth, a news van pulled into the driveway.

Neil moved between the newly arrived media and his wife.

“Karen believes Becky is in grave danger. She’ll not be allowed to go anywhere near Becky until these ridiculous charges are dropped. And if I know Karen, she’ll ignore the court to help the girl.”

From behind them, a man with a microphone approached, his eyes narrowed on Judy.

“Aren’t you Michael Wolfe’s sister?” the reporter asked.

Rick moved between Judy and the reporter. “No comment.” His deep voice made the reporter pause, but not for long.

“Is it true Michael’s wife is being detained?”

“What about no comment did you misunderstand?” Rick’s voice lowered and the smile on his face fell.

Neil ushered Gwen back into the station.

“Is it true Mrs. Wolfe was found naked in the hotel with Mr. Wolfe’s brother?”

Judy froze. Her eyes grew big.

Rick placed his large hand on her back and gently pushed her through the door and away from the reporter.

The reporter didn’t follow them inside right away.

“Is that true?” Judy asked Gwen.

The soft expression on Gwen’s face confirmed the reporter’s accusation. “It’s not what you think.”

What is it then?

The reporter took that moment to push inside the station.

Rick turned toward the door and once again blocked Judy from their annoying presence. “Dude, you’re starting to piss me off.”

Gwen grabbed Judy’s arm and pulled her away. “I know you’re confused. I can assure you that everything is going to be OK. I’ve already spoken with Michael. He’s on his way here now.”

Her stomach turned thinking of her brother. “Poor Mike.”

“Mike is more concerned for Karen and Zach’s safety right now than for himself. Listen, Judy…Karen told me that Becky is pregnant.”

The rest of the air in Judy’s lungs left and her head felt dizzy. “Really?”

“Yes. If her parents abuse her, she could be in danger.”

Judy glanced at the police officers that were intervening between Rick, Neil, and the reporter.

“Then tell the police and let them handle it.”

“Karen has. But they’ve given no indication that they are following up on her accusations. To them, Karen is the criminal.”

That Judy didn’t believe, and she knew Zach would never kidnap anyone. “The entire situation is ridiculous.”

“Agreed. Would you be willing to check on Becky for Karen?”

Judy nodded. “Of course.”

Gwen glanced around. “Can you go to her home now and make sure she’s safe? Rick can go with you…keep you both safe.”

Judy glanced at the broad back of the man blocking the reporter.

Her parents wouldn’t like it, but she couldn’t say no. Judy nodded.

Gwen tapped Rick on the back and spoke to him in hushed tones. Green Eyes glanced Judy’s way and smiled briefly.

Rick stepped around the officers and met Judy by the desk. He smiled at the female officer. “Is there a back door we can use to escape the media?”

The woman nodded and ushered them around the counter and through another door. A small corridor later, Judy and Rick were running to a rental car and tearing out of the parking lot.

She stared out the back window, expecting the reporter to give chase. Only no cars or vans pulled behind them. “Take the freeway north.”

Rick switched lanes, maneuvered the car onto the freeway. Only when she was sure no one followed did Judy twist in her seat and pull on her belt, and she felt the green-eyed stare of the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen in her life fall on her…again.

Oh, boy!

Chapter Twenty-Six

An officer led Karen into a large room and sat her on a bench to wait for the judge. They brought Nolan in next, then Zach.

“Are you OK?” Zach asked.

“I’ve had better days,” she told him truthfully. Beyond them, the room filled up with their family and friends. Janice and Sawyer wouldn’t meet her eyes. She could only imagine what was going through their heads.

Samantha, Blake, Neil, and Gwen offered smiles as they took their seats.

“Did you talk to the lawyer?” Karen asked.

“Yeah. We’re all set,” Zach told her.

“Are we getting out of here?” Nolan asked.

“We should.”

A commotion brought everyone’s attention to the back door of the room.

Several people walked into the room with handheld recording devices, their eyes swung toward the three of them.

“Great, reporters.”

Zach shook his head. The three of them sat with their hands behind their backs in handcuffs. Humiliation crawled up Karen’s spine.

The lawyer who’d visited Karen earlier walked into the room followed by two more men dressed just as well. Three-piece, fifteen-hundred-dollar suits were a sure bet of highly paid lawyers. All of whom Blake and Samantha brought in. Leave it to a millionaire duke to have the best.

“All rise for the honorable Judge Stanhope.”

The occupants of the room stood and a hush fell over the crowd.

Gray peppered the hair of the judge who appeared to be somewhere in his sixties. His stoic expression said nothing as he took his seat and told everyone to sit.

“It’s a little early for this kind of a crowd,” the judge said as he shuffled papers on his desk and looked at the three of them.

A reporter in the back of the room lifted a small tape recorder and whispered into the device, drawing the attention of the judge.

“You! In the back.”

The reporter snapped his attention to the judge.

“Yes?”

“Turn that crap off in my courtroom. If I see it again I’ll have you and all your colleagues removed.”

The reporter shoved the recorder into a bag and sat up.

Judge Stanhope glanced around the courtroom. “I’ve been called in on this fine Sunday, a day I’d much rather be spending with my family…so this had better be good.”

Karen wanted to moan.
Great, a pissed-off judge.

“Nolan Parker?” the judge called out.

Nolan stood. “Yes, Your Honor?”

“Do you have counsel?”

The attorney assigned to Nolan stood and walked over to the bench.

“Yes, Your Honor.”

Judge Stanhope glanced at his papers, then to the attorney.

“Nolan Parker you’re being charged with statutory rape, kidnapping, and resisting arrest. How do you plea?”

Nolan glanced at his attorney and said, “Not guilty.”

The judge looked directly at Nolan, then at Zach. “Zach Gardner?”

Zach stood along with his attorney.

“You’re charged with kidnapping, harboring a criminal, and resisting arrest. How do you plea?”

“Not guilty.”

Karen didn’t wait to be called before she took to her feet.

“I see we have a theme here today,” the judge said on a sigh. “Karen Jones?”