Page 109 of The Bitterroot Inn (Jamison Valley 5)
“Keep it together,” Stuart whispered, patting my hand.
I nodded and took a breath.
“Ms. Carlson,” the judge continued, “this petition seems like an extreme solution to your concerns that he won’t learn about his father. I’d like to know why you couldn’t spend time teaching Coby about his father while he remained in his home.”
“I can’t be around that woman.” Eleanor’s snap surprised us all; the collected façade she’d brought into the courtroom was falling to pieces and fast. We’d only been here ten min
utes and already she was crumbling?
“Why is that?” the judge asked, still pressing for more.
“Why do you think? She murdered my son!”
At Eleanor’s outburst, Mom gasped and I jerked in my chair. Eleanor might as well have slapped me.
The worst part of it was, I didn’t have a rebuttal.
I had killed Everett. I hadn’t murdered him in cold blood, but I had taken her son’s life. And even though I hated her, I could see how hard it would be for Eleanor to be in the same room with me.
“Let’s all take a minute,” the judge said calmly. “I understand this is an emotional situation, but remember, we’re doing this for Coby. I agree with you, Ms. Carlson, that the best way for him to learn about his father is from someone who knew him well. As Coby’s grandmother, your influence could be very beneficial in his life and help him make a connection to the memory of his father.”
Over my dead body. The last thing Coby needed was to be introduced to Everett’s memory.
“Thank you.” Eleanor sniffled and dabbed the corner of her eye. Maybe she wasn’t as frazzled as I’d thought a second ago. Maybe this was all part of her plan. Fake dramatics. Shed some tears. Get the judge to pity her.
He wasn’t buying it, was he?
No. Oh god, no. My heart raced even faster as the blood drained from my face. Just the idea of Coby being around Eleanor sent my head spinning.
If Eleanor sank her claws into Coby, she’d do nothing but confuse him. She’d paint Everett as the brilliant yet misunderstood genius doctor and me the slut nurse that had gotten knocked up and then committed murder. Coby would never understand. My loving, caring, gentle little boy was about to be put in the middle of a situation most adults would have a hard time comprehending.
Please, Judge Tubor. Please don’t do this to him.
He sat on his bench, ignorant to my silent pleas. “Do you have anything else you’d like to say before we start talking to witnesses?” he asked Eleanor.
She shook her head. “No, Your Honor.”
“All right. You may proceed with calling your witnesses.”
Her attorney cleared his throat. “We have no witnesses at this time, Your Honor.”
The judge’s eyebrows creased. “None?”
“No, Your Honor,” her attorney answered.
Yes! I did a tiny fist pump for the Holts.
“All right.” The judge looked over to me but before he could start his questioning, Hunter’s voice filled the room.
“Your Honor?” I spun my head around. Hunter was on his feet, an arm raised. “I apologize for the interruption. My name is Dr. Hunter Faraday. I am Ms. Carlson’s stepson and would like to say a few words, if you don’t mind.”
Wait, what did he say?
Hunter’s eyes came to mine as I replayed his words.
I am Ms. Carlson’s stepson.
Stepson? My heart plummeted into my stomach as my mouth fell open, the words looping through my mind over and over.
