Wife-In-Law by Haywood Smith Page B

through the onlookers.
    Across the aisle, the trespassers looked at me in shame—all but Julius/Moose, who was still loaded for bear, maybe because his sissy first name had been revealed in public, and I do mean public.
    Kat had a furious sotto voce argument with him, but he clearly refused to budge.
    “Betsy,” Forrest whispered in a patronizing tone, “I know you care about your friend, but she and the others broke the law. It won’t look good if you don’t press charges.”
    “I appreciate your advice, Forrest,” I told him. “Really, I do. But this isn’t a matter of legalities. Kat’s the only true friend I’ve ever had. I can’t have her arrested.”
    “All right, then,” he said. “But the others … surely you don’t want to support such lawlessness.”
    My whole body ached from the humiliation of Kat’s betrayal and the insult of having my private business hung out on public display. “I just want this to be over.” I gripped his forearm with a desperate, “Please. I want it to be over.”
    He sighed in disagreement, but addressed the judge. “Your Honor, against counsel’s advice, my client does not wish to press charges.”
    The judge studied me with a mixture of admiration and disappointment. “While I admire the loyalty of your decision,” he said, “I cannot approve its wisdom. Nevertheless, be it so noted that Mrs. Callison has declined to press charges against the criminal trespassers.”
    He glared across the aisle and banged his gavel. “Will all the parties please rise and face the court for my decision?”
    I could barely stand, shaking at the prospect of actually being thrown in jail.
    “In the matter of Mr. Julius Rabinowitz’s charges of simple battery against Mrs. Betsy Callison, the court hereby dismisses the charges and warns Mr. Rabinowitz that if he ever comes before this bench again, his previous disrespect for this court and the law of the land will weigh heavily against him.” Scowling, the judge banged his gavel one last time. “Court is dismissed. You are all free to go, though the majority of you shouldn’t be.”
    “All rise,” the bailiff ordered with a grin as the judge flounced out.
    Cheers and applause broke out among the onlookers as the reporters rushed forward to get statements.
    Ignoring their clamor, I shook Forrest’s hand. “Thank you so much. And please thank Cindy for me. I was scared to death.”
    Cindy rushed forward to give me a hug. “I told you this would work out,” she said with a wink. She gave Forrest a peck. “Good job, Counselor. You’re the best.”
    He circled her waist for a sidelong hug. “See why I love her? I didn’t do a thing, but she compliments me.” He let go of Cindy and nudged her my way. “Let me take care of the press. Hon, why don’t you get Betsy some lunch at the club? Give things time to settle down. Then you can take her home.”
    “Sure thing.” Cindy stepped over and put her arm around my shoulders. “Come on. I’m buying you a nice lunch. And wine. Plenty of wine.”
    “Sounds like a plan.” Maybe it would bring back the circulation in my extremities.
    “Okay. Out we go,” Forrest said to me. At least Forrest would get some good publicity out of this.
    He led me into the hall, where glaring TV lights kicked on, almost obscuring the mob of reporters who barraged me with questions.
    Clearly, the UFOs hadn’t materialized, and the Berlin Wall was still standing.
    Forrest stepped between me and the reporters, looking gorgeous as he lifted a hand for a perfect photo op. A battery of flashes went off.
    Cindy drew me aside while the attention was on him.
    “Ladies and gentlemen of the press,” Forrest said without so much as a blink. The press fell silent, microphones thrust forward as my lawyer declared, “Fortunately for Mrs. Callison, Judge Blount saw through the spurious charges brought against her by the criminal trespassers who assaulted her guests and committed obstruction. Only my