“Of course.” I waited for Mrs. West to blot her cheeks. “I’d like to help with the search.”
“We have a lot of people in the city looking for him.”
“Not like that exactly,” I explained. “Please, use the resources I have. I’d like to offer reward money for his safe return, but anonymously. Just to keep the attention where it should be, and that’s on Crew.”
The parents exchanged a look of relief or confusion. I wasn’t sure which.
“That’s very generous of you,” he responded. “But, we don’t want to put you out.”
“You won’t. I want him back. You can’t really put a price tag on that, can you?”
They shook their heads.
“All right. I’ll have my attorney deposit money into a trust with your names on it for the reward disbursement. Half a million should get you started.”
His mother sputtered. “Dollars? Half a million dollars?”
“Yes. And anything else you need.” I jotted my number down and handed it to them. “Call me. No matter what time of day it is. I’ll get you anything you need.”
Crew’s father, tucked the phone number into his pocket. “Thank you, Ms. Martin. Crew has said nothing but how much he loves working for you. We can see why.”
I pressed my lips together. Kimble opened the door. That was the cue for them to leave, but they seemed stuck in limbo. I’m sure it was a feeling like trying to walk through quicksand. There was no good place for them to sit and wait this out. For a minute, they were using my SUV as their refuge. For Crew, I could wait with them a few minutes more.
Chapter19
Knight
My head hurt like hell. So did my knees. I’d crouched against the cement wall all night. Every time my eyes closed, my head went bounce forward and my neck would jerk it upright again. I didn’t think I’d ever get the smell of this place out of my nose. It was in my hair, under my nails. I’d burn this jumpsuit the first chance I got.
It wasn’t like a court hearing, where you were able to change into a suit. I had to walk in there like this. Wearing this fucking thing. I groaned, but I perked up when I saw the guard walking toward the cell.
“You’re up, Corban.” I jumped to my feet, ignoring the ache in my kneecaps. I ran my fingers through my hair and approached the cell door. I rubbed the side of my jaw, knowing how rough my beard looked after two days of not shaving.
The door clanged as he pulled it open against the heavy springs. I stepped out of the cell. I’d never go back in that pit again.
“Aren’t you going to take these off?” I asked when we reached the accused’s entrance into the hearing room.
“Nah. Those stay on.” He pointed me through the door. “You’re not free.”
That’s when I realized the photo op the cuffs brought. I didn’t know there would be cameras in the room. Baxter Barnes was sitting at the defendant’s table. He waved me over.
“What is this?” I clenched my jaw. “It’s chaos in here.”
He cleared his throat and motioned for me to sit. It was almost too loud to hear him. I leaned my head closer.
“The story got bigger overnight. There’s a reward now for his return. Information. National media picked it up.”
“Great.”
“You’ll get out today,” he assured me.
I looked over my shoulder, scanning the rows of benches for Kennedy. My pulse beat faster with each zig-zag up and down the faces seated behind us. I turned around. She wasn’t here. There was a moment that I let her absence disappoint me, despite how certain I was it was the right decision.
The bailiff opened the door near the dais and the judge walked in. I stood with Baxter until she was seated.
The rest was a blur. The judge asked the DA to present the reasons I shouldn’t get bail, while Baxter argued I should. Twenty minutes later it was set at four million dollars. The judge banged her gavel and it was over.
Baxter squeezed my shoulder. “Told you, you’d be out.”