I tapped my feet on the ground as the judge sat down. A lump grew in my throat, lingering there as his eyes swept over the jury, finally landing on my lawyer.

I leaned against the older man. “What’s going on? The persecutor hasn’t even arrived,”

“I’m as confused as you are, Madam. I wonder what strings they are trying to pull. Rest assured, you’ll leave here a free woman.”

I nodded and faced the Judge but my mind retreated to last night. When Louis said that, I ...