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"Emily O’Connell," the clerk called out in a clear voice, and we all stood

"I don’t fuckin’ like this, Em; you’re my wife You shouldn’t have to face Frank alone I should be with you"

"You will be," she said and kissed me

Chapter 16

Apart fro which neither of them really spoke, Em and Danny were both in that courtroom all day When they came out, Danny looked devastated, and Eone badly, I expected tears or at least a boatload of hugs But it was like she’d coo?" I asked

"Oh, fine," she said I went to pull her in for a hug Fuck knows I needed it but sheone, I turned to Danny

"What the fuck is going on?" I asked hile one of his years, he sat dejectedly on the bench in the foyer

"It was an absolute bloodbath She did aether When the defense exah I think that, with the rape kit, they would have gone easier, ht Without it, it’s his word against theirs so they’re basically calling Eer who saw this as an opportunity to split up her parents Their version of events is that she was raped at a house party where she dressed provocatively, and that she tried to pin it on Frank She answered all their questions but the defense painted a pretty graphic picture of what they think happened"

"Fuck!" Kieran one down that way

"Didn’t the judge step in?" I asked

"Not his place to Defense has a right to cross-examine," he countered

"What about your evidence? What about the kidnapping?" He held his flat cap tightly between his hands and looked down at the floor

"They still don’t know the address of the flat he took her to It’s probably where he left her rings The only physical evidence tying hi are the prints on the knife in her chest He clai trip when she was taken, Eot hold of hiym to see if he could help He told police that, when he arrived, she was already on the floor with the knife in her chest He touched it and her as he assessed her wounds, then ran off to get help, which is when he says he was picked up I know Em said he made some calls from the flat but it was probably on a prepaid burner phone Either it’s at the flat or he duot picked up"

"What about your testimony?" Liam asked him