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The following morning, Brandi and Aaron arrived at the court house with enough time to get settled before the Bailiff appeared.

“Brandi Shannon.”

Brandi stood and looked to Aaron. “Wish me luck.”

“You’ll do great.”

She let out a breath as she followed the Bailiff into the courtroom. Her eyes scanned the smattering of onlookers as she walked up to the witness stand. She shivered as she locked eyes with Chuck. He could always make her feel uneasy, even when he was thousands of miles away. She averted her gaze and looked at the Bailiff.

“Raise your right hand.”

She complied.

“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth so help you God?”

“I do.”

“Be seated.”

Brandi sat down, wringing her hands in her lap, just out of view of the rest of the people in court. She was trying to stay calm. As long as she told her side of the story accurately, she’d be ok. They couldn’t lock her up. Her eyes locked onto the prosecutor, a young man with intense green eyes as he stood and walked around the table.

“Could you please state your name for the court?”

Brandi swallowed. “Brandi Shannon.”

“Miss Shannon, what is your relationship to the defendant?”

“Chuck? He’s my boyfriend…well ex-boyfriend. We broke up a while ago”

The prosecutor gave a nod that she could stop talking. She cleared her throat, waiting for the next question.

“Now, could you please tell the court your involvement, if any, with the defendant’s drug business?”

Brandi took a moment before answering. She needed to gather her thoughts. She had no idea how much Chuck already knew.

“Uh…well a year and a half ago he told me that he needed me to go to Albuquerque because a guy he knew was going to make a sale there.” A pause and the prosecutor nodded for her to continue. “So…I took the drugs to New Mexico. I guess I didn’t really think anything of it.”

“Please describe the drugs, if you can remember.”

“It was twenty kilos of crystal meth.”

“So, did you make the drop?”

Brandi shook her head. “No. I…I was starting to turn my life around. I tossed the drugs in the river…”

“The police report from Albuquerque said you had the drugs?”

“Yeah…I went back and got them. I thought…if I turned them in…that maybe people wouldn’t get hurt….”

“Thank you. No further questions.” He returned to his seat.

Brandi watched the defense attorney stand. Something about him made Brandi squirm. He looked like someone Chuck would know.

“Miss Shannon…may I call you Brandi?”

Brandi blinked. “I guess.”

He smiled. “Brandi…now you told the court that you turned the drugs in to the police because you…” he paused to pick up his notes, “thought that you turned them in that maybe people wouldn’t get hurt. Wasn’t it the fear of getting caught that made you turn in the drugs?”

“Sort of.”

“Yes or no.”

“Yes…but that was only part of it.”

“Isn’t it also true that you made a deal with the district attorney in Albuquerque?”

“So what?” She felt the judge staring down at her.

“Miss Shannon, please answer with ‘yes’ or ‘no.”

“Yes.”

“What was that agreement?”

“Objection Your Honor. Relevance?”

“It goes to the credibility of the witness.”

“I’ll allow it. Please answer the question, Miss Shannon.”

“I…I testify against Chuck and they don’t charge me.”

“No further questions.”

The judge looked over at Brandi. “You may step down.”

She stood, her legs wobbly beneath her as the Bailiff led her out of the room. Aaron spotted her as soon as the doors opened.

“How did it go?”

“I don’t know…I told them what happened…the defense guy asked about my deal with the district attorney in Albuquerque.”

“It’s ok. They didn’t know about the program. You did good.”

“So wait…do we have to stay here until the trial is over?”

“No. I’ll be in touch with the prosecution. They’ll let us know when there has been a verdict. We’re catching a plane back tonight.”

They landed back in Elk River shortly before eleven. Brandi was out of her seat and off the jet in record time. Aaron had to run after her to catch up.

“What’s the hurry?”

“I don’t know…I just…I’m anxious. I know my part of the trial is over. I just…I want it all to be over. I want him in jail.”

“The prosecution has a strong case.”

“I just want to get home…see Mom.”

“Ok. Come on.”

Two weeks passed before Brandi heard any news about the trial. She’d fallen back into her daily routine but the anxiety still surfaced every now and again. She got the call at work around mid day on a Thursday.

“Hello?”

“Brandi, it’s Marshal Greene.”