her wrongly, lock her up and throw away the key. But she’d protect the truth of her baby from them for as long as it was possible. In this at least, blind circumstance was on her side. When they searched her cottage, they would find no trace of the test— Eaton Slade had seen to that this morning.
After she told him her story, Ryder advised her against giving a formal statement at this time. Claire was perfectly willing to listen to her lawyer on that point. She had not been looking forward to sitting in a dreary room like this one and being grilled by Undersheriff Leven.
Zack Ryder glanced at his watch. “Your preliminary hearing's set for today at two. Basically, we’ll just sit there and let the prosecutor do all the talking. It’ll be short and sweet. The judge will decide whether to bind you over to the grand jury for a more formal hearing of the charges against you. And, if the judge decides to send you to the grand jury for possible indictment, we’ll get them to set your bail.” He gave her a tired smile. “You’ll be out of this place in time for dinner, I promise you.”
Claire nodded, feeling dazed. Somehow, as the hours went by, it all became increasingly unreal—just more of her nightmare, unfolding before her. “Thank you,” she murmured as Deputy Clark came to collect her once more.
She was taken back to her little cell to wait until two. They gave her lunch, which she could see had come from Mandy’s. It was her favorite—bacon and tomato on whole wheat, light on the mayo. She knew that Sheriff Dan must have ordered it for her, a small kindness so she’d know he had not abandoned her. But she had no appetite. She took a few bites for form’s sake, then pushed it away.
At one-thirty, she was led from the cell again. This time she was taken beyond the sheriff’s office out into the courthouse to a small holding room near the main courtroom, where her lawyer waited.
Ryder explained once more that she was not to worry. This wouldn’t last too long, and they would learn a lot about how the prosecution saw the case should it go any farther. He went out before her, leaving her alone with Deputy Clark.
At last, she was led out into the courtroom and seated at the long table where Zack Ryder was already sitting. To her right was another long table where the county prosecutor, Buckly Fortin, was stationed. Up in the judge’s seat sat Judge Willoughby, who just happened to be another of her mother’s dear friends.
Claire glanced once over her shoulder at the observers’ pews. She saw several people she knew, including Joe and her mother—sitting together. It was a testament to how numb and despondent she felt that such a sight did not even make her blink. Joe nodded and Ella telegraphed one of her most encouraging smiles.
Claire turned to face front again as Judge Willoughby began explaining how a preliminary hearing was only to make sure there was enough evidence that a crime had been committed to require a grand jury hearing. He asked Ryder if the defendant wished to waive the hearing.
“ No, Your Honor. We wish to proceed with this hearing.”
The judge then produced an affidavit sworn by Sheriff Brawley charging Claire with assault with a deadly weapon and battery.
Claire sat, silent and unmoving, as both Sheriff Brawley and Undersheriff Leven took the stand. They testified that Alan Henson was still in the hospital in Grass Valley. He was stable, but comatose. They reported what Claire had said to them in her interviews at the motel, and Buckly Fortin was careful to emphasize the times Claire had been seen in public with the injured man. They also produced sworn statements from Verna Higgins and the couple at the motel who had found Claire after Henson attacked her—statements attesting that Claire’s clothing had been tom and she’d appeared in a state of shock. And of course, they had the ballistics report that proved Henson had been injured with Claire’s gun.
When the
After she told him her story, Ryder advised her against giving a formal statement at this time. Claire was perfectly willing to listen to her lawyer on that point. She had not been looking forward to sitting in a dreary room like this one and being grilled by Undersheriff Leven.
Zack Ryder glanced at his watch. “Your preliminary hearing's set for today at two. Basically, we’ll just sit there and let the prosecutor do all the talking. It’ll be short and sweet. The judge will decide whether to bind you over to the grand jury for a more formal hearing of the charges against you. And, if the judge decides to send you to the grand jury for possible indictment, we’ll get them to set your bail.” He gave her a tired smile. “You’ll be out of this place in time for dinner, I promise you.”
Claire nodded, feeling dazed. Somehow, as the hours went by, it all became increasingly unreal—just more of her nightmare, unfolding before her. “Thank you,” she murmured as Deputy Clark came to collect her once more.
She was taken back to her little cell to wait until two. They gave her lunch, which she could see had come from Mandy’s. It was her favorite—bacon and tomato on whole wheat, light on the mayo. She knew that Sheriff Dan must have ordered it for her, a small kindness so she’d know he had not abandoned her. But she had no appetite. She took a few bites for form’s sake, then pushed it away.
At one-thirty, she was led from the cell again. This time she was taken beyond the sheriff’s office out into the courthouse to a small holding room near the main courtroom, where her lawyer waited.
Ryder explained once more that she was not to worry. This wouldn’t last too long, and they would learn a lot about how the prosecution saw the case should it go any farther. He went out before her, leaving her alone with Deputy Clark.
At last, she was led out into the courtroom and seated at the long table where Zack Ryder was already sitting. To her right was another long table where the county prosecutor, Buckly Fortin, was stationed. Up in the judge’s seat sat Judge Willoughby, who just happened to be another of her mother’s dear friends.
Claire glanced once over her shoulder at the observers’ pews. She saw several people she knew, including Joe and her mother—sitting together. It was a testament to how numb and despondent she felt that such a sight did not even make her blink. Joe nodded and Ella telegraphed one of her most encouraging smiles.
Claire turned to face front again as Judge Willoughby began explaining how a preliminary hearing was only to make sure there was enough evidence that a crime had been committed to require a grand jury hearing. He asked Ryder if the defendant wished to waive the hearing.
“ No, Your Honor. We wish to proceed with this hearing.”
The judge then produced an affidavit sworn by Sheriff Brawley charging Claire with assault with a deadly weapon and battery.
Claire sat, silent and unmoving, as both Sheriff Brawley and Undersheriff Leven took the stand. They testified that Alan Henson was still in the hospital in Grass Valley. He was stable, but comatose. They reported what Claire had said to them in her interviews at the motel, and Buckly Fortin was careful to emphasize the times Claire had been seen in public with the injured man. They also produced sworn statements from Verna Higgins and the couple at the motel who had found Claire after Henson attacked her—statements attesting that Claire’s clothing had been tom and she’d appeared in a state of shock. And of course, they had the ballistics report that proved Henson had been injured with Claire’s gun.
When the
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