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"That's very touching," I hear Hah the kiss "But it's tio"

Denning steps forward, pulling a pair of cuffs clipped to her belt "Mr Northif you could turn around and put your hands behind your back?"

"Do you have to handcuff hily

"It's protocol," Denning responds briskly

I watch in despair as Beck is handcuffed She then puts one hand on his elbow and leads hiht to reainst you in a court of law"

Her voice drones on as I follow theht behindall of us When we reach the elevator, I start to follow the says, "Miss Halsteadyou really should stay here"

Her voice actually sounds sympathetic

"I' doith him," I say firmly, and I dare her to tell hts That hts

She nods and pulls Beck to the side to make room I enter and stand by his side, Caroline behind me and Hammond in last to stand in front of us as the doors close Ha I don't recognize, but it's a happy tune and I can tell she's eating this up

I hate her

I press in closer to Beck, touch my arm to his He doesn't respond but he doesn't need to I kno he feels

When we get to the lobby, our door toward hio to Beck's in shocked surprise but he scrambles to open the door

And the throng of reporters swarm us as we step out

That fucking bitch tipped the reporters It's all clear now Her s pulls Beck to the side toward the unmarked car, but I'm rooted to the spot as I watch Hammond almost trot down the three steps to come to stand before the reporters

"Miss Ha Mr North into custody for the murder of Jonathon Townsend?" a reporter calls out, but I can't see who it is Sodevices and others are snapping pictures

"Yes," she says with a confident smile "Mr North has been served with an arrest warrant for thehiot some time to answer questions, but let's try to do it in an orderly fashion"

That fucking bitch I want to claw her eyes out She's aup the attention and she's going to use Beck to put her naht

I turn back to look at Beck as Denning is helping him into the backseat with a protective hand on his head so he doesn't bump it He looks at me briefly, mouths the words I love you

I et to tell hiain sometime soon

I'm led into the courtroom of the Marin County Courthouse in cuffs, but I'ht to sleep in while I enjoyed overnight accommodations at the Marin County Sheriff's Depart, whoroonain of ould happen, although he'd talked to ht after I'd been booked

He tried to be reassuring, telling me the evidence was all circumstantial, but I was not reassured, since he told me just a few days prior that most convictions were based purely on circumstantial evidence The arrest warrant was lean on details, but he said it met the probable cause standards Motive and DNA were mentioned, but none of that surprised me The police had made it clear they felt I had plenty of motive in the questions they'd asked me, and like I told them, I'm sure my DNA was all over JT's house, since I'd been there numerous times in the

past

My eyes io to the front row behind the defendant's table, where I'll be sitting with Doug, and I can feel my body sith confidence when I see Sela and Caroline sitting side by side I give theive it back I can see terror in both their eyes