Under the Table(38)

“Are you represented by counsel?” the judge asked Ruth.

“No, sir,” Ruth replied.

“Are you waiving that right?”

“I’m throwing myself on the mercy of the court,” Ruth said in all seriousness. The judge remained completely deadpan.

“If I may interject, Your Honor,” the prosecutor chimed in with the paper he was looking for now in front of him. “The victim in this case no longer wants to press charges and we are recommending a dismissal.”

“I have no record of that, counselor. Would you approach the bench, please? Bring your document with you.”

The prosecutor did as he was asked while Ruth turned around to shrug her shoulders at Zoey. They exchanged puzzled looks and Zoey began to hold her breath. Maybe everything was going to be all right after all.

“Well, Miss Dixon,” the judge began, and Ruth turned quickly back around, standing as straight as she could. “Looks like it’s your lucky day. The injured party has rescinded his complaint, and per the prosecutor’s recommendation, I’m going to dismiss your case. You’re free to go.”

“Thank you, Your Honor,” Ruth said, the relief evident in her face.

The only sound that could be heard in the silence that followed as the judge updated his records was the whoosh of Zoey releasing her pent-up breath. Just like that, it was over and Ruth was joining her. Ruth’s relief was apparently left at the defendant’s table, replaced with an eye-rolling annoyance.

“Can you believe the nerve of that guy?” Ruth huffed as they left the courtroom. “Puts me through all this and then doesn’t have the balls to go through with it.”

“You know what I can’t believe?” Zoey hissed right back. “That you are looking this gift horse in the mouth. A half hour ago you were looking at a fine, or a jail sentence. Don’t forget that.”

“Who in their right mind shows up to a felony hearing without an attorney?”

Zoey and Ruth turned in unison to the direction of the sound. Blake was already making his way toward them. Had he been in the courtroom the whole time, or had he just arrived? He looked positively handsome in his navy suit, gold-cuff-link-wearing, clean-shaven sort of way. Zoey had already seen this side of him, something that Ruth refused to acknowledge. He also looked uncharacteristically mad as hell, something Ruth may have been more familiar with.

“Why on earth didn’t you bring a lawyer?” Blake repeated when he caught up with them.

“Because we both already know who was holding all the cards. Why would I throw money away when it was clear judge clown shoes wanted to make sure I suffered? I might’ve needed that cash to buy cigarettes,” Ruth replied.

“You don’t smoke,” Blake said.

“No, but I wanted to have them to trade and buy myself out of work detail. Or getting beat up.”

Blake’s face showed no signs of appreciating her joke.

“Relax,” Ruth went on, giving Blake a playful tug on his sleeve. “I did my own research. I was pretty sure a jackass like him wouldn’t take it all the way, so I just went in and played dumb. If he did show up today, the judge would probably call a continuance and insist that I get a lawyer. So, you see, it all worked out. Now, come on, let’s hit the nearest pub. I’m buying.”

Blake didn’t move, even as Ruth started walking toward the exit doors.

“Do you want to know why Randy Hollister didn’t show up today?” Blake said.

Ruth halted, turning back around. “I just told you why.”

“And maybe you are right,” Blake replied. “Maybe he didn’t show up because it wasn’t worth the trouble. But maybe it’s possible he called it all off because I threatened him.”

“You did what?” Zoey and Ruth said in unison.

Blake showed the smallest hint of a smile. “Let’s say I appealed to his practical side. I told him that if he thought you made a scene at the bar, imagine what you could do on a witness stand. If nothing else, you would turn him into a laughingstock. And I warned him that I would do everything in my power to see you represented by the kind of publicity-hungry attorney who would find and publicly parade every girl he hit on that night. I told him that if he continued with this pride-fueled vendetta, by the time this was over, he would likely lose not only his wife, but also his job. Maybe even get disbarred.”

“How did you even know about this?” Ruth said, trying to mask her surprise.

“I was at the party, remember?” Blake said in exasperation.

“Told you,” Zoey said.

“I don’t recall asking for your help.” Ruth huffed.

They engaged in a brief stare down, Blake looking disenchanted and Ruth, indignant.

“Thanks, Blake,” Zoey finally said to try and break the tension. “You’re a lifesaver.”

Ruth rounded on Zoey. “Don’t speak for me. I didn’t ask for anyone’s assistance.”

“Enough.” Blake’s voice stopped Ruth in her tracks.

Ruth and Zoey both looked at Blake, who was shaking his head and running a hand through his neatly combed hair.

“I can’t do this anymore,” he said, once he was sure he had Ruth’s attention. “I don’t want to.”

Blake no longer looked angry. He looked deflated. He was always brooding, but now his whole posture held the weight of a sadness that was near to breaking Zoey’s heart.