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“You could kiss me again.”
She started to lean down again, but a noise behind her brought panic surging in her chest, and she turned to see Beckett coming toward them with a pistol in his hand.
Simon stirred and woke crying. Savannah scooted toward him. “I’m here, honey.”
“Ah, you’re awake.” Beckett motioned to cut the engine to the man piloting the boat. “You have no idea how much pleasure it brings me to see you both helpless.” His cold expression changed to a grimace when his gaze went to Simon. “I wish the boy didn’t have to pay for your mistakes.”
“This is crazy!” Hez struggled to sit. “You can’t just dump us overboard and let the sharks take care of the evidence. We’ll be missed. They’ll trace the gun and the boat back to you.”
Before Savannah could shout out a warning or scream, Beckett drove his foot into Hez’s abdomen. Hez’s pale face went even whiter. His eyes closed briefly, and his jaw clamped shut. His throat worked and she saw his effort to contain a groan.
Beckett was breathing hard. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. But the best part of my plan is that you will be blamed, Hez. Your credit card is on record for the boat rental and the gun purchase. Poor, unstable Hez. He couldn’t handle the thought of the looming divorce, and he went off the rails again. I’m not going to feed you to the sharks. I’m going to leave clear evidence of murder and suicide. No legacy, Hez. Just the sad epitaph of your instability.”
“No!” Savannah struggled against the ties on her wrists. “No one who knows Hez would believe he’d hurt anyone.”
Why wasn’t Hez objecting or struggling? A smile pushed its way past the pain on his face. “You forgot one thing, Beckett.”
Beckett barked out a derisive laugh. “And what’s that?”
The noise of a loud engine pushed into Savannah’s awareness, and a horn blared. Someone shouted, “U.S. Coast Guard. Stand by for boarding.”
Hez’s grin widened. “You forgot to search me. Raise my shirt in the back.” Beckett stepped over and yanked up Hez’s shirt to reveal a small rectangular box at his waist. “Jane, Augusta, and Hope heard every word you said.”
Beckett took a step back as the Coast Guard swarmed up the side of the boat.
* * *
The bailiff cleared his throat. “All rise. The district court for Baldwin County is now in session, the Honorable Achilles Hopkins presiding.”
Hez, Jess, and Hope got to their feet as Judge Hopkins limped up to the bench. He sat with a grunt and picked up his trademark yellow pad. “All right. We’re here on the defendant’s motion to dismiss in People v. Legare, is that correct?”
Hez nodded. “Yes, Your Honor.”
The judge flipped through an accordion folder of papers. “I don’t see an opposition on file from the DA. Was one filed?”
Hope shook her head. “No, Your Honor. We have determined not to oppose the motion. I apologize that we weren’t able to make a decision before the filing deadline.”
Hez resisted the urge to let out a victory whoop. Hope had hinted that there was an internal debate at the DA’s office over whether to dismiss all of the charges against Jess or just the charges related to Abernathy’s murder. Hez had filed a motion to dismiss to force a decision out of them. It had been a gamble, but it just paid off.
The judge put down the folder. “Okay, well, at least that makes today’s hearing easy. Does either side have anything they’d like to put on the record before I enter an order?”
“The People do, Your Honor.” Hope glanced at Hez. “We would like to thank defense counsel for assisting law enforcement in gathering critical evidence that led to the arrest of two very dangerous men and is about to result in the dismissal of charges against Ms. Legare. Mr. Webster wore a wire and deliberately put himself in grave danger to achieve justice. The People appreciate that.”
Hez’s face warmed as Hope spoke. He hadn’t expected that little speech, and it left him uncharacteristically tongue-tied. “I, uh, well, thank you, Counsel. For my part I appreciate the DA’s willingness to listen to my then-unproven story and devote significant law enforcement resources to investigating it. And I’m grateful to Ms. Norcross personally for realizing something was off during a routine phone call and inviting me to go for a run so we could talk in person. If she hadn’t done that, things might have turned out much differently.”
Judge Hopkins gave a broad smile. “And the court appreciates the professionalism and character shown by both of you. This is how the system is supposed to work. Case dismissed.”
Hez turned to Jess. Tears pooled in her eyes and her voice was rough. “Thank you!” To his utter amazement, she hugged him.
Five minutes later, he was in the corridor outside the courtroom, phone in hand. He couldn’t wait to tell Savannah the good news. But before he could dial, someone called his name. He looked up and the clerk from the domestic relations courtroom hurried toward him, carrying a sheaf of papers.
She held out the papers as she walked up. “Oh, good! I’m glad I caught you. I saw you had a hearing on today’s calendar, and I wanted to get these to you before you left. I’m sorry it took so long to get them signed.”
He took the papers, and his joy and excitement vanished like a candle being snuffed out. Judge Jefferson had finally signed the divorce decree. A black abyss swallowed his heart.
Savannah was no longer his wife.
He walked out of the courthouse and over to the coffee shop where Savannah and Simon waited. A brisk December breeze chilled him as he crossed the courthouse square. Christmas carols blared from storefront speakers.
