Page 74 of Matlock
Neither did Simon.
His hand was still in mine, hidden beneath the table, his grip tight enough to hurt.
“Tony,” he whispered, his voice rough.
I turned to look at him.
“You were...” He trailed off, shaking his head slightly. “You were incredible.”
I wanted to kiss him.
I wanted to pull him into my arms and tell him that everything was going to be okay.
But I couldn’t.
Not here.
Not now.
So instead, I squeezed his hand again and said, “I told you. I’ve got you.”
And I meant it.
No matter what happened next, no matter what Rosalind threw at us, no matter how hard this fight got... I had him.
And I wasn’t letting go.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Simon
The courtroom felt different after the recess.
Heavier.
More real.
I sat at the defense table, my hands folded in front of me, trying to look calm. Trying to look like a man who wasn’t terrified of what came next.
Behind me, I could feel my parents. Mom’s hand had briefly touched my shoulder when we returned from the break, a silent reassurance. Dad had squeezed the back of my neck, his version ofI love you, son.
The Silver Shadows filled two rows. King sat directly behind Tony, his presence a wall of silent support. Goliath was there too, sitting with the others in the back row, his massive frame somehow making the courtroom feel even smaller.
Grace sat beside King, her hand resting on her rounded belly, her expression fierce and protective. I hoped she knew what her presence meant to me. And Sadie. Sadie sat between my parents, her face pale, her hands twisted together in her lap.
The jury filed back in.
Twelve faces. Twelve neighbors who held my life in their hands. Rosalind had tried to get a change of venue, but Uncle Alex had denied her motion.
Now some of the jury members looked at me with curiosity. Others with suspicion. A few with something that might have been sympathy.
I didn’t know which was worse.
Uncle Alex took his seat, and the bailiff called the court to order.
“Ms. Winthrop,” Uncle Alex said. “You may call your firstwitness.”
Rosalind stood, smoothing her skirt with one hand, her expression calm and controlled.
