of her closest friends?
Logan came from behind her and massaged her shoulders. “You ready?”
As always in his presence, she smiled. “No. Why don’t you go out there for me?” She turned around and peered up at him.
He laughed and shook his head fervently. “Hey, I won that coin toss fair and square. You’re the lucky one who gets to face the firing squad today. Besides, they already love you. They’re here for you, not me.”
She slapped his chest playfully. “They’re here because they’re cannibals looking for their big meal.”
His expression grew serious. “If you really don’t want to do it, I’ll go out there for you. You’re not too anxious, are you? I don’t want you to have one of your attacks.”
She ran a hand over the sore spot on her right hip and pressed down with the pads of her fingers. “I’m fine. I don’t even need a pill.”
Her pulse remained even and her heartbeat steady. Other than the sensation of fluttering hummingbirds in her belly, she didn’t experience any of the signs of anxiety. Just a case of plain old nerves. And who wouldn’t before going out in front of a sea of reporters to give a press conference? At least there were fewer people here than when she’d given her valedictorian speech at graduation. What was a horde of cannibals compared to a bunch of hungry legal sharks?
“Good.” He ran his admiring gaze over her body. “You look great. Ready for Lisa to introduce you?”
She exhaled and nodded. “Let’s get started.”
Logan rubbed her neck for a moment and then went to find Lisa, who was seating the media on the other side of the small white tent.
Mousy secretary Lisa turned out to have a degree in marketing. After Nick’s death, she’d quit her job at Joseph and Long and started her own public relations firm. As someone who’d also cared for Nick, she and Kate had mourned him together, remembering him not for his crimes but for his triumphs. She, Kate, and Rachel met for drinks every Thursday night, and although her friends preferred white wine to a Slo Gin Fizz, she’d learned the three of them had a lot more important things in common, like being career-driven women. That’s why it shocked her when Lisa volunteered to do Kate’s public relations work for free. Having friends who didn’t just take but gave in return was a new experience for her.
She took another pull from her water bottle and rolled her shoulders. In ten minutes it would be all over.
Lisa hurried to her, a clipboard in her hands. “It’s standing room only out there.” She tapped Kate’s cheek. “Let me see your teeth.”
Kate smiled for her.
Lisa nodded. “No lipstick on them. You’re good to go. Follow me.”
Kate sucked in a breath and straightened her spine, once again pressing the bruise on her hip. Knowing he was out there for her eased the twisted knots in her tummy.
Lisa led her around the tent and then stood in front of the podium’s microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen of the press, Kate Martin will give a short statement and, upon the conclusion, will answer a limited amount of questions.”
Kate’s gaze surfed over the heads of the crowd until it landed on the dark hair she could pick out of a lineup. With her gaze glued to his beautiful eyes, she began. “A few months ago, under the direction of attorney Jeffrey Reaver of Reaver, Markson, and Long, fellow intern Logan Bradford and I began an investigation into the camp formerly known as Angelus Tredecim, run by Reverend Pierce. Through countless interviews with past campers from the last thirty years, we unearthed more than two dozen women who allege sexual assault at the hands of Reverend Pierce. Most of them had remained silent, coming home from camp with a secret shame they held for years, imprisoned by the nightmare of the months they suffered not only sexual but physical and emotional abuse. Some had chosen to tell their parents only to have the trusted religious leader convince their
Logan came from behind her and massaged her shoulders. “You ready?”
As always in his presence, she smiled. “No. Why don’t you go out there for me?” She turned around and peered up at him.
He laughed and shook his head fervently. “Hey, I won that coin toss fair and square. You’re the lucky one who gets to face the firing squad today. Besides, they already love you. They’re here for you, not me.”
She slapped his chest playfully. “They’re here because they’re cannibals looking for their big meal.”
His expression grew serious. “If you really don’t want to do it, I’ll go out there for you. You’re not too anxious, are you? I don’t want you to have one of your attacks.”
She ran a hand over the sore spot on her right hip and pressed down with the pads of her fingers. “I’m fine. I don’t even need a pill.”
Her pulse remained even and her heartbeat steady. Other than the sensation of fluttering hummingbirds in her belly, she didn’t experience any of the signs of anxiety. Just a case of plain old nerves. And who wouldn’t before going out in front of a sea of reporters to give a press conference? At least there were fewer people here than when she’d given her valedictorian speech at graduation. What was a horde of cannibals compared to a bunch of hungry legal sharks?
“Good.” He ran his admiring gaze over her body. “You look great. Ready for Lisa to introduce you?”
She exhaled and nodded. “Let’s get started.”
Logan rubbed her neck for a moment and then went to find Lisa, who was seating the media on the other side of the small white tent.
Mousy secretary Lisa turned out to have a degree in marketing. After Nick’s death, she’d quit her job at Joseph and Long and started her own public relations firm. As someone who’d also cared for Nick, she and Kate had mourned him together, remembering him not for his crimes but for his triumphs. She, Kate, and Rachel met for drinks every Thursday night, and although her friends preferred white wine to a Slo Gin Fizz, she’d learned the three of them had a lot more important things in common, like being career-driven women. That’s why it shocked her when Lisa volunteered to do Kate’s public relations work for free. Having friends who didn’t just take but gave in return was a new experience for her.
She took another pull from her water bottle and rolled her shoulders. In ten minutes it would be all over.
Lisa hurried to her, a clipboard in her hands. “It’s standing room only out there.” She tapped Kate’s cheek. “Let me see your teeth.”
Kate smiled for her.
Lisa nodded. “No lipstick on them. You’re good to go. Follow me.”
Kate sucked in a breath and straightened her spine, once again pressing the bruise on her hip. Knowing he was out there for her eased the twisted knots in her tummy.
Lisa led her around the tent and then stood in front of the podium’s microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen of the press, Kate Martin will give a short statement and, upon the conclusion, will answer a limited amount of questions.”
Kate’s gaze surfed over the heads of the crowd until it landed on the dark hair she could pick out of a lineup. With her gaze glued to his beautiful eyes, she began. “A few months ago, under the direction of attorney Jeffrey Reaver of Reaver, Markson, and Long, fellow intern Logan Bradford and I began an investigation into the camp formerly known as Angelus Tredecim, run by Reverend Pierce. Through countless interviews with past campers from the last thirty years, we unearthed more than two dozen women who allege sexual assault at the hands of Reverend Pierce. Most of them had remained silent, coming home from camp with a secret shame they held for years, imprisoned by the nightmare of the months they suffered not only sexual but physical and emotional abuse. Some had chosen to tell their parents only to have the trusted religious leader convince their
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