Page 112 of With Us

I smoothed my fitted and demure navy blue capped sleeve dress. Rosa had dropped it off to me earlier in the day, which I’d thought would be my chance to get some information. The opposite of her usual chatty self, she’d refused to answer any of my prodding questions.

What was extra weird, however, was how unworried she’d seemed about everything. She hadn’t looked shocked about her boss being arrested, nor had she seemed particularly concerned with the possibility of him going to prison and his company imploding. Since not only was Theo a lifelong friend, but also her meal ticket, I’d have thought she’d be freaking out with me.

Instead, she’d been happy as can be, if not evasive, as she’d insisted on helping me with my makeup, masking the splotchy swelling and giant bags.

Sitting in the courtroom, I moved to adjust my skirt again when Luc’s arm blocked the way.

“It’ll be fine,” Luc whispered. I wasn’t sure how I knew, because he was his usual polite and charming self, but he didn’t want me there. He watched me closely, a blend of nervous and alert. Every time I moved, his eyes snapped to me as he braced.

Ben sat on my other side, but he wasn’t as on guard. Rather, it felt like he was there for support.

Rachelle and Lou sat behind us, occasionally reaching up to give my shoulder a squeeze. Neither of them looked distraught, either.

What the hell is wrong with them? When did I get transported into Bizarro world?

Luc kept his arm in place, but I wasn’t paying attention to my skirt anymore.

My focus was on Theo as he walked into the courtroom from a side entrance. In a suit and tie, I could almost pretend he was heading to Amaric. I hadn’t seen him since the Sunday before, which had only been a few days, but he looked different.

Or maybe I was seeing him differently.

Accompanied by a sharp dressed lawyer around his age, his eyes were on me the entire time. His brows pushed together, his expression soft.

A silent plea.

An apology.

A promise.

He dragged his gaze from mine as the judge, his lawyer, and the other lawyer began speaking. Things moved quickly, and I was having trouble following along as they discussed the terms of his deal.

Why is he taking a deal? He was home with me. I can tell them.

“Trust him,” Luc whispered, clearly reading the confusion on my face.

“I might, if someone would bother telling me what the hell was going on,” I returned in a harsh whisper.

The judge asked something I’d missed, but Theo nodded. His voice was calm as he said, “I was out at Oakley’s with Luca Ricci and Dale Henson. Mr. Ricci went into the side alley to smoke, and was taking longer than usual. When I went to check on him, I saw a man waving a knife in his face.”

“You recognized the man?” the other lawyer asked, reading his notes.

“Yes,” Theo answered. “He’d been drinking at the bar, too.”

Theo’s lawyer held up some papers. “We have signed statements from the bartenders working that night. They talk about Mr. May’s harassing of female patrons before he and his drinking partner were escorted out. They also detailed his lengthy bar tab and inability to pay, something he knew going in he wouldn’t be able to do.”

The judge nodded before asking, “What happened next?”

Theo resumed his story. “One of the dishwashers had followed me outside to smoke, but returned inside to call the police. Mr. Ricci was trying to hand over his wallet and watch, but the man became increasingly angry. I kicked the dumpster, hoping to scare him off, but he didn’t react. When he went for Mr. Ricci with the knife, I hit him over the head with an empty bottle and shoved him to the side.”

The lawyer held up another file folder. “Hospital records proving Mr. May had a blood alcohol level of just under point three, plus a toxicology report showing diacetylmorphine.”

I leaned close to Ben, who whispered, “Heroin,” before I had the chance to ask.

“Both of these things,” Theo’s lawyer said, “would contribute to Mr. May’s instability, lending to him hitting his head on the brick wall. In addition, the toxic levels of alcohol mixed with the narcotics could be what put him in the coma, and not the head wound.”

“Why did you leave, Mr. Amato?” the judge asked, flipping through the folder.

“There was another man with Mr. May who made threats against me.”

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