Page 17 of Range
Yolanda was a sheep on his farm. He loved her dearly. She loved him unconditionally. Blindly. Deeply. And, for good reason. He’d die for her. But, even more, he’d live for her. And that’s why he was fighting his case with everything in him. He wanted to return to her. To the life they were building. To the other side of the law.
While she wasn’t my client, she was part of the reason I studied Edgar’s case around the clock, keeping longer hours than I cared to admit. The hollowness in her eyes was familiar. I was her.
The loneliness lingered in our bones.
The hollowness was evident in our eyes.
The ache was woven between our words.
“Docket #4208432422, your honor.”
I stepped forward, pushing my way through the small set of doors that served as a boundary between the spectators and the members of the judicial system I’d sworn into many years ago.
The court’s proceedings were underway. Words were tossed back and forth from those on the opposite side of the law until, finally, the court was in session.
“Attorney Range Childers, your honor, here on behalf of my client, Edgar Baster.”
As the words fell from my lips, Edgar was ushered to my side. He rubbed his right wrist and then slowly moved on to the left one. The diamonds of his timepiece glistened, though they were hardly on display underneath the black tailored suit jacket and white button-down to match. The cuffs that once bound him were now on the waist of the officer escorting him.
I held my breath, awaiting his arrival. Before he reached me, his scent twirled around my nostrils. I closed my eyes briefly, inhaling the unique notes of his cologne. When I reopened them,he was right there, standing next to me with his shoulder against mine.
The attraction was apparent. His to me. Mine to him. However, its innocence kept us at bay and from ever crossing lines we couldn’t retrace later. Edgar was a married man. I wanted nothing to do with him outside of my professional life. Still, he possessed the qualities of a well-rounded man. One I’d consider the perfect candidate for my life’s course.
Silently, I prayed that Yolanda would be put through the mattress and then through the floorboard tonight. She’d spent months away from her husband. They both needed whatever was coming to them upon his release.
“Attorney Jake Rodgers, your honor.”
The uncertainty in Jake’s voice lured my eyes in his direction. My nostrils widened with confidence. He shuffled through a stack of unkempt papers on the table, frantically searching for nothing at all. His untamed hair and size-too-big suit led me to believe he was in the same condition as he was the last time we’d met in this very courtroom.
“Attorney Rodgers–”
“One second, your honor. I am– I am trying to locate th–”
“The defense, do you have any remarks as we wait for the prosecution to locate whatever they’re in search of?”
“Your honor, I’ll wait.”
I set my briefcase on the table and unclamped it. Inside, neatly arranged papers greeted me. I displayed my orderly nature intentionally, understanding that it was a character flaw of the man responsible for prosecuting my client.
Thirty seconds.
I lowered my gaze to Edgar’s hands. He unbuttoned his suit jacket, prepared to have a seat. I placed my right hand over his just as he began to descend.
Ninety seconds.
“Stand. We won’t be here long enough for you to get comfortable.”
Obliging, he rebuttoned his jacket and smoothed the invisible wrinkles with his palms.
One hundred and twenty seconds.
I turned toward the prosecution, a smirk pulling my lips rightward. The wait wasn’t necessary. What I’d come to say was on the tip of my tongue. However, the dramatic silence was for the betterment of my argument. It supported my claims. It proved my point. And, it worked in my favor.
One hundred and fifty seconds.
The spectators grew more anxious with each passing minute. The wood benches began to squeak. Whispers began to fill the gaps. Movement was plentiful. Soon, there wouldn’t be order in the court.
Doubt combed over the silence, unmasking the reality of the case that had been brought against my client. It was baseless.
