Page 60 of Trail to Trouble
Once the chaos settled, Hannah looked around for the old man who’d saved her from Sebastián’s hands. There was no sign of him. Kane and Lance stepped away from Mr. Garcia and moved closer to her.
“Where is the old man?” Lance asked her.
“I don’t know.”
“You didn’t see him leave?” Kane asked.
“No, I was focused on Sebastián and his mom and dad,” she replied.
Kane quickly made his way to the exit. Dipped into the hall for a moment, then returned.
“I didn’t see him in the hall. He was so quick to fly out of his seat and hurdle over the railing. I couldn’t believe it. He moved like he’s twenty years old,” Kane said.
“Who is that guy, and why does he show up here day after day? It’s like he comes in late and is the first to leave so that we can’t find out who he is,” Lance said.
“Maybe he’ll be at the sentencing and we can find out more about him then,” Kane said.
Though Hannah was more than curious to find out more about this mystery man, she was more interested in Sebastián’s sentencing hearing. She’d hoped the judge would pass down the sentence right away, but with all the chaos just now, she suspected a delay, which was common practice anyway.
The judge slammed the gavel down. “Order!”
“We will take a thirty-minute recess and reconvene for the sentencing.”
Hannah looked at the prosecutor. She looked as shocked as she felt regarding the immediate sentencing.
It was a long thirty minutes as she, the prosecutor, and her brothers discussed the verdicts. The prosecutor was in complete disbelief about the not guilty verdict on the attempted murder charge. She was convinced the Garcias got to the jurors, but if that were truly the case, he should have received not guilty verdicts on all the charges. The best she could hope for now was a long sentence for the kidnapping and assault convictions.
Hannah followed the prosecutor back into the courtroom. Her nerves rattled and her skin felt slick with sweat. They sat and waited. The room was eerily silent. The court security officer entered the room with Sebastián in his grip. She’d never seen such anger and disdain on a man’s face as her ex displayed. Their gazes locked, and his heated gaze practically burned holes in her irises. No matter what happened with the sentencing, this would not be good for her and her brothers. The Garcias had already taken her parents and Alyssa from her. In her heart, she knew it, but there was no evidence to support that theory, so they would get away with it.
They rose when the judge entered the courtroom and then sat.
Hannah placed her entwined hands on her lap. Her grip was firm. She swallowed hard and braced herself for the outcome.
“The defendant shall rise,” the judge ordered.
Sebastián stood.
“Having considered the overwhelming evidence in this case and the conduct displayed by Sebastián Garcia in the courtroom, it is the judgment of this court that you, Sebastián Garcia, are sentenced to ten years for the crimes of kidnapping and assault.”
Sebastián’s mom cried out. His dad looked stunned, and his gaze flew to the jury box. The man’s deadly glare was enough to scare the devil.
Hannah’s hand flew over her mouth. This wasn’t good for the jurors, or the juror Sebastián’s father likely threatened to get the not guilty verdicts. Why wouldn’t the jurors not go along with the not guilty on the kidnapping and assault, and only the attempted homicide charge? What price would they now pay? What price would she pay?
ChapterSixteen
Green Bay Wisconsin– April 2025
Orion’s gaze stayed glued to the familiar woman as she wrapped up her marketing presentation.Katrina Holmes.That name was unrecognizable to him. But the portion of the tattoo she revealed a moment ago when she’d leaned slightly forward, had to belong to that beautiful butterfly tattoo he’d seen on Hannah Rice almost ten years ago. Just now, he’d only seen bright orange, outlined with black, but he’d put his life on the fact that what he saw were the tips of the wings of the butterfly. His heart raced. He had her within his reach. Finally.
To get out of this room, she’d have to get through him. He was tired of only dreaming of her. Nearly ten years had passed. Would she talk to him now? It was time. Her hiding—disappearance— was crazy. No, it actually wasn’t. He fully understood why she’d done what she did. Her ex was part of a cartel. They’d killed her parents and her friend, so she made herself disappear. At least, that was how it appeared.
His heart sank, and dread coiled in his stomach at the thought she’d had to do this on her own. No help from the authorities. As he watched from afar, he knew she and the police could not prove the Garcias were responsible for Alyssa’s murder and the accident that killed Hannah’s parents. Though Sebastián Garcia was convicted of kidnapping and assaulting Hannah, the murders remained unsolved. Everyone knew the Garcias were behind the deaths, but they were never charged. So yes, it wasn’t a surprise to him that Hannah made herself disappear. It was for the safety of all of them: hers, his, and her brothers.
Knowing what he knew, he should let her simply walk out of this room, but would he be able to? He loved her. She’d ruined him for all other women. There’d been a few in his life, but none that could measure up to her. Funny, though, he’d only spent one weekend with her. He kissed her twice, never had sex, but somehow knew she was the one for him.
He broke into a sweat. What if she’d met someone during the past ten years? A woman like her would surely have been scooped up by any man in his right mind. His gaze flew to her left hand. No ring. He sighed with relief. Then, in remembrance of her parting letter to him and the silent promise he’d made to her, sadness laced his next sigh.
“Thank you, Ms. Holmes, we’ll be in touch,” Aaron Carlson, his CFO, said, knocking him out of his reverie.
