Trial Run

The sun had just begun to ascend over the roofs in Elk River when a loud knock came on the door. Brandi rolled over and tried to ignore it but the sound resounded a second time; more frantic.

“Ok, I’m coming.” It came out as a grumble, certainly not audible to whoever was knocking. She quickly pulled on slippers and went to unlock the door. Aaron stood on the other side when she pulled it open.

A smile and a flirtatious batting of eyelashes. “Hi.”

“Morning. You need to get dressed.”

“Why? You buying me breakfast again?”

“We’ve got to fly to New Jersey. You’re giving your testimony tomorrow.”

Brandi’s eyes widened to the size of half dollars. “Oh God I forgot. Uh…come in.”

It had been nearly eight months since she and her mother had entered WITSEC. She raced back into her room, leaving the door slightly ajar as she pulled on clothes.

“You’d think I’d be totally ready for this, you know. It’s why I’m here after all.”

Aaron stood in the small living room, back turned towards the door. “We’ll grab something to eat on the plane.”

“Hey…how long are we going to be gone again?”

“Two…three days tops.” He heard drawers slamming in the other room and couldn’t help but smile. Brandi was nothing if not entertaining. “Don’t forget to say goodbye to your mom before we go. We don’t want her frantically calling Karena, thinking you’ve run off.”

Brandi stuck her head out, “Very funny.”

Some ten minutes later, Brandi emerged dragging a suitcase behind her. Aaron just shook his head in amusement. She couldn’t go anywhere travelling lightly.

“Go say goodbye.”

Brandi set her purse down atop the suitcase and walked quietly into Jinx’s room. Her mother lay sprawled out beneath the covers. She bent down and shook her mother lightly by the arm. Jinx let out a moan but didn’t wake.

“Mom.”

Another groan and this time her eyes fluttered open. “What?” A pause and then she sat bolt upright. “I’m not late for work am I?”

“No Mom. I’m leaving…for New Jersey…I have to testify tomorrow.”

“Oh…well…” Jinx ran a hand over her face. “Be good.”

“Bye Mom. I’ll call when we land.” With that, Brandi returned to the living room to find Aaron pulling her suitcase.

The walk out to the car was quiet as they tried to avoid the other’s glances. They had kept in touch over the last eight months, more so than most witnesses and their marshals. Aaron had been careful to keep it casual and friendly. He had no desire to lose his job. Still, he couldn’t lie to himself; Brandi was an attractive young woman.

“So…it’s just us on this trip?”

He looked at her as he put the suitcase in the trunk. “Yeah.”

“Cool.”

Some twenty five minutes later, they boarded a small jet. Brandi had to admit that Witness Protection really knew how to treat people. She slid into one of the leather seats and leaned back.

“You guys sure travel in style.”

Aaron just gave a nod and sat down beside her. They shared a quiet breakfast before the jet took off, climbing steadily into a misty gray sky.

“So…do you think they’re going to find him guilty?” She looked almost embarrassed to have broken the silence.

“I don’t know. It’s up to the prosecution to present the best case they can.”

“What happens though…if he doesn’t get convicted? He can…well he can be persuasive, you know?”

He waited a minute before giving her an answer. As inconspicuously as possible, he placed his hand on hers. “You’ll be safe no matter what happens. He can’t find you now.”

She glanced down at his hand and laced her fingers through his. “I guess so.” Brandi let out a slow breath, her hand still firmly clasped with his.

“So…you get to travel a lot I bet…with all of your witnesses.”

“Sometimes. But Brandi, you know I’m not allowed to talk about my other cases. It would be a breach of protocol.”

“I get it…chill, ok. I was just saying is all.” She turned her head away, letting him catch a glimpse of a pout.

Aaron pulled his hand from her grasp and looked out the window. The sky had cleared as they’d moved away from Elk River. The sun was beginning to filter through the glass and dance along the interior of the jet. Brandi kept her gaze away from him as well. Soon, both were lost in their own thoughts, oblivious to the pilot’s announcement that they were about to land until the wheels whirred beneath them and collided with the runway.

Aaron unbuckled his seatbelt and got to his feet. Brandi remained seated. She appeared to be avoiding his gaze at all costs.